BILL ANALYSIS AB 1925 Page 1 Date of Hearing: May 5, 2010 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS Felipe Fuentes, Chair AB 1925 (Salas) - As Amended: April 20, 2010 Policy Committee: Public SafetyVote: 7-0 Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: Yes Reimbursable: Yes SUMMARY This bill authorizes superior courts to develop and implement veterans courts with specified objectives. Program details - eligibility, methodology, treatment and supervision requirements, standards, and funding - are left to the determination of a collaborative process between the presiding judge and the board of supervisors. The stated objectives of this proposal are: 1)To increase cooperation between the criminal justice, veterans, and substance abuse systems. 2)To create a dedicated calendar or a locally developed collaborative court-supervised veterans mental health program. 3)To reduce the involvement of veterans in the criminal justice system and time in jail by making mental health service for veterans available in the least restrictive environment possible while promoting public safety. FISCAL EFFECT 1)No direct fiscal impact as the bill is permissive and courts may already establish veterans courts - or other specialty courts. To the extent this bill results in the establishment of additional veterans courts, however, there would be new costs that could range from minor redirected court costs into the low hundreds of thousands of dollars for dedicated personnel, depending how the veterans' court is structured. 2)To the extent in fewer veterans sentenced to state prison, AB 1925 Page 2 there could be significant annual net GF savings, potentially in the millions of dollars. Potential savings depend on how many offenders participate, program success rates, and recidivism rates. Savings would be at least partially offset by the cost of community and mental health services provided to diverted offenders. 3)This bill is keyed a reimbursable state mandate. The committee may wish to clarify that the bill does not require counties to provide services should a court opt to establish a veterans court, pursuant to current law. COMMENTS 1)Rationale . The author contends this bill will encourage more courts and counties to establish veterans courts. According to the author, "Veterans with combat-related mental illness in the criminal justice system often face unique challenges which traditional courts are often ill-equipped to address. AB 1925 modifies the California Penal Code to better address the particular needs of veterans by providing a template for the creation of new veterans courts throughout the state. AB 1925 sets the stage for the formalization of relationships between judges, district attorneys, public defenders, veterans' service agencies, residential treatment organizations, and others." Analysis Prepared by : Geoff Long / APPR. / (916) 319-2081