Sacramento, CA — With strong support and backing from women's groups and agencies serving victims of domestic violence, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed Assembly Member Loni Hancock's AB 2010 this week.

AB 2010 will create a 5-year pilot program in both Alameda and Solano counties to enhance existing domestic violence prevention and intervention efforts. The bill authorizes the County Board of Supervisors of Alameda and Solano to increase fees of marriage, birth, and death records by up to $2. The fees will generate nearly $200,000 a year for each county's domestic violence programs. The funds will be used to coordinate domestic and family violence prevention, intervention and prosecution efforts as carried out by various programs and multiple agencies.

"To achieve an end to domestic violence, we must commit resources to educating families and to provide life-saving services to victims," said Hancock

Current law prohibits any domestic violence funding from being used for oversight and coordination of and between the multiple agencies and county partners involved in fighting domestic violence (sheriff, district attorney, social services, public health, probation, mental health, substance abuse, child welfare services, community partners). AB 2010 ensures that funding for a coordinated and integrated system is not taken away from existing services.

Alameda and Solano Counties Board of Supervisors, California Democratic Legislative Women's Caucus, International Institute of the East Bay, East Bay Community Law Center and several individuals all sent letters urging the Governor sign the bill.

AB 2010 was also supported by American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO; California District Attorneys Association Lambda Letters Project Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, National Women's Political Caucus - Alameda North, and the Office of the Attorney General.