BILL NUMBER: AB 494	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member V. Manuel Pérez

                        FEBRUARY 20, 2013

   An act to amend Section 2053.1 of, and to add Section 2053.2 to,
the Penal Code, relating to prisoners.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 494, as introduced, V. Manuel Pérez. Prisoners: literacy and
education.
    Existing law requires the Secretary of the Department of
Corrections and Rehabilitation to implement in every state prison
literacy programs that are designed to ensure that, upon parole,
inmates are able to achieve a 9th grade reading level. Existing law
further requires the department to prepare an implementation plan for
the literacy programs and to request sufficient funds to make the
programs available to a certain percentage of inmates by specified
dates.
   This bill would require the department to request sufficient
funding to make the literacy programs available to 75% of inmates by
January 1, 2016. The bill would also require the Secretary of the
Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to implement in every
state prison educational programs designed to ensure that, upon
parole, inmates are able to acquire a high school diploma, or its
equivalent. The department would also be required to prepare an
implementation plan for the educational programs and to request
sufficient funds to make the programs available to a certain
percentage of inmates by specified dates. This bill would also make a
technical, nonsubstantive change to these provisions.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 2053.1 of the Penal Code is amended to read:
   2053.1.   (a)    The  Director of the
Department of Corrections   Secretary of the Department
of Corrections and Rehabilitation  shall implement in every
state prison literacy programs that are designed to ensure that upon
parole inmates are able to achieve a ninth-grade reading level. The
department shall prepare an implementation plan for this program, and
shall request the necessary funds to implement this program as
follows: 
   (a) 
    (1)  To make the program available to at least 25
percent of eligible inmates in the state prison system by July 1,
1991. 
   (b) 
    (2)  To make the program available to at least 60
percent of eligible inmates in the state prison system by January 1,
1996. 
   (3) To make the program available to at least 75 percent of
eligible inmates in the state prison system by January 1, 2016. 

   In 
    (b)     In  complying with the
requirements of this section, the department shall give strong
consideration to  computer assisted  
computer-assisted  training and other innovations which have
proven to be effective in reducing illiteracy of disadvantaged
adults.
  SEC. 2.  Section 2053.2 is added to the Penal Code, to read:
   2053.2.  (a) The Secretary of the Department of Corrections and
Rehabilitation shall implement in every state prison educational
programs that are designed to ensure that upon parole inmates are
able to acquire a high school diploma or its equivalent. The
department shall prepare an implementation plan for this program, and
shall request the necessary funds to implement this program as
follows:
   (1) To make the program available to at least 25 percent of
eligible inmates in the state prison system by July 1, 2016.
   (2) To make the program available to at least 60 percent of
eligible inmates in the state prison system by January 1, 2019.
   (3) To make the program available to at least 75 percent of
eligible inmates in the state prison system by January 1, 2022.
   (b) In complying with the requirements of this section, the
department shall give strong consideration to computer-assisted
training and other innovations which have proven to be effective in
teaching and educating disadvantaged adults.