A few weeks ago, I met someone who told me that a bill I authored didn’t just change a policy — it saved a life.

The bill extended workplace protections to the family members supporting crime victims. Because of that law, a sister can take time off to help her sibling and their kids find a safe house and new schooling, away from an abuser and without the fear of losing her own paycheck. It reinforced that victim services isn’t just a line item in a budget; it is the bridge between a person’s worst day and their first day of healing.

As someone who serves on both the Assembly health policy and budget committees — and as a survivor myself — I know how terrifying that bridge can be. I hear stories of the paralyzing weight of choosing between your safety and your housing, or your healing and your job.

For decades, the federal Victims of Crime Act has been the backbone of this support........

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