The bill, titled the Community Violence Intervention and Prevention Act, establishes the Office of Community Violence Intervention and Prevention within the Department of State Health Services. It aims to coordinate and expand violence intervention and prevention activities, reduce interpersonal violence and homicide, and provide leadership and technical assistance for effective state and local efforts to mitigate preventable injuries and deaths from violence. The office will also develop collaborative relationships with various state agencies and community organizations to create evidence-based policies and strategies. Additionally, the bill mandates the office to conduct public health campaigns and maintain a directory of violence intervention and prevention services available statewide.

To support these initiatives, the bill introduces a grant program to fund community-based violence intervention and prevention efforts, particularly in areas disproportionately affected by violence. The office will establish a grant review advisory committee to assist in selecting grant applications, prioritizing those that demonstrate a strong potential for reducing violence without contributing to mass incarceration. Grant recipients will be required to use the funds for evidence-based violence reduction initiatives and report their progress to the office. The bill is set to take effect on September 1, 2025, with the office required to be established by December 1, 2025.

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