BILL ANALYSIS
Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary
49 (Simitian)
Hearing Date: 8/29/03 Amended: 6/24/03 & as
proposed
Consultant: Karen French Policy Vote: Public
Safety 4-0
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BILL SUMMARY: AB 49 creates the statewide California
Technology Crimes Task Force comprised of each of the
regional task forces funded by the High Technology Theft
Apprehension and Prosecution Program (HTTAPP) and requires
the existing High Technology Crime Advisory Committee to
evaluate the effectiveness of the Task Force in
investigating and prosecuting high technology crimes and
report annually to the Legislature and Governor.
Fiscal Impact (in thousands)
Major Provisions 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06
Fund
HTTAP
Evaluation -- --
-- General
STAFF COMMENTS: SUSPENSE FILE. The 2003-04 Budget Act
eliminated the $18.5 million General Fund appropriation for
this program. The Committee on Appropriations held all
Senate bills that created new entities such as task forces
and advisory committees. The author has withdrawn proposed
amendments that would have expanded the goals of the
program to include crimes against property generally and
mandated crime monitoring & reporting.
The HTTAP is a grant program in the Office of Criminal
Justice Planning created for the purpose of distributing
grant funds to develop regional high technology crime units
in California law enforcement agencies.
The Senate Public Safety Committee eliminated language from
this bill that would have directed OCJP to allocate federal
antiterrorism funding for the program and would have
expanded the goals of the program to include apprehension
and prosecution of individuals and groups engaged in the
unlawful access, disruption of destruction of public
utilities and state infrastructure.