The California Victim Compensation Board on March 20 completed a series of formal actions taken during its public meeting, including approval of meeting minutes, two procurement contracts, a rulemaking package, and decisions in four Penal Code section 4900 claims for erroneously convicted persons.

Minutes and contracts
- The board approved the minutes of the Jan. 16, 2025 meeting by roll call (Member Becton, Member Johnson, Chair Ravel: all voted aye).
- The board approved two contracts: a three‑year language translation and interpretation services contract (to solicit a contract term not to exceed $300,000) and a three‑year contract to procure document scanning functionality and on‑call IT support for the CARES system (not to exceed $375,000). The motion passed on roll call with all three members voting aye.

Rulemaking
- The board authorized staff to conclude the rulemaking process for amendments to California Code of Regulations, title 2, section 640 et seq., governing claims by erroneously convicted persons under Penal Code section 4900, following non‑substantive and one substantive modification. Staff will submit the final package to the Office of Administrative Law; the documents carried a planned effective date of July 1, 2025. The motion passed on unanimous roll call.

Penal Code section 4900 claims (hearing officer recommendations adopted)
- Richard Almeida (item 8): The hearing officer recommended denial; the board adopted the proposed decision by unanimous roll call. (Transcript indicates Almeida sought compensation related to a 2018 conviction; the hearing officer found Almeida failed to meet the statutory burden of proving innocence. Amount sought was stated in the transcript in unclearly punctuated form and is recorded here as not specified.)
- Kelvin Fuller (item 9): The board adopted a proposed decision awarding $1,727,320, representing $140 per day for 12,338 days of wrongful imprisonment, following the court’s finding of factual innocence and the mandatory statutory framework. Counsel for Fuller and a client statement were heard before the vote.
- Glenn Payne (item 10): No objection was filed by the attorney general and compensation was recommended under the mandatory provisions of Penal Code section 4900(b). The board adopted a proposed decision awarding $765,380, representing $140 per day for 5,467 days of wrongful imprisonment.
- Zachary Vanderhorst (item 11): After contested briefing and a hearing on the issue of injury for additional days attributable solely to the erroneous convictions, the board adopted the hearing officer’s proposed decision awarding $280 (two days at $140 per day) as the portion attributable solely to the challenged convictions. The motion passed on unanimous roll call.

Closed session and administrative items
- The board convened in closed session under Government Code section 11126(c)(3) and subsequently voted in public session to approve items numbered 1 through 46 of the victim compensation program. The motion passed on unanimous roll call.

Vote pattern: For each recorded motion above the board’s roll call was unanimous with Members Becton and Johnson and Chair Ravel recorded as voting aye on each item.

Documents and next steps: Staff said it will submit the rulemaking package to the Office of Administrative Law and finalize contract procurement actions and the TRC award amounts after the May budget revise where applicable.