Yesterday the California State Senate failed to protect the state’s most vulnerable women and their children. Letting partisanship stand in the way, they failed to pass Senator Leland Yee’s emergency legislation to save domestic violence shelters. This was after the State Assembly overwhelming approved the bill on Friday in a bipartisan 63-1 vote.
From Senator Yee:
“I am deeply disappointed that petty Sacramento politics and end-of-session drills were put before the lives of victims,” said Yee. “It was absolutely vital to approve this legislation. Failure to pass this bill only puts more lives at risk. I will reintroduce this bill again and again and again until we finally save our domestic violence shelters. Anything less is irresponsible, and not only increases health care and law enforcement costs, but puts victims and their children in grave danger.”
What, Honorable Senators, do you say to these women?
“You’ve made your bed, now lie in it?”
Six of the state’s domestic violence shelters have already closed.
Here is a list of shelters in danger of closing. Our partners, Asian Women’s Home and Support Network for Battered Women are both on this list.
Join Save Domestic Violence Shelters Facebook page.
California residents: CLICK HERE to find your State Senator. Please urge them to support the next introduction of the bill.