BILL NUMBER: AB 494 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 1, 2013
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, of the Penal Code, relating to
prisoners.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 494, as amended, 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 instead require the department to
request sufficient funding to make the literacy programs
available to 75% of inmates by January 1, 2016
implement literacy programs that are designed to ensure that upon
parole inmates are able to achieve the goals contained in a specified
plan released by the department. This bill would require the
department to prepare an implementation plan and request sufficient
funds that, among other things, requires the department to offer
academic programming throughout an inmate's incarceration that
focuses on increasing the reading ability of an inmate to at least a
9th grade level and to focus on helping the inmate obtain a general
education development certificate or high school diploma for inmates
reading at a 9th grade level or higher . 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 changes
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. The Legislature finds and declares the
following:
(a) In 2012, the Department of
Corrections and Rehabilitation released its plan, "The
Future of California Corrections: A Blueprint to Save Billions of
Dollars, End Federal O versight, and Improve
the Prison System. "
(b) The plan states that its mission is to improve access to
rehabilitation programs, which includes access to academic programs,
including literacy programs. The goal, according to the plan, is to
place 70 percent of the department's target population in programs
consistent with the academic and rehabilitative needs of the prison
population. The plan states that increasing access to rehabilitative
programs will reduce recidivism by better preparing inmates to be
productive members of society. In doing so, the plan will help lower
the long-term prison population and save the state money.
(c) Senate Bill 949 of the 1989-90 Regular Session (Chapter 989 of
the Statutes of 1989), regarding literacy standards in the state
prison system, is in conflict with the plan that is now in place by
the department. It is the intent of the Legislature to bring the
statute in line with the department's new policy.
SECTION 1. SEC. 2. Section 2053.1 of
the Penal Code is amended to read:
2053.1. (a) The 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 goals contained in the department's plan entitled,
"The Future of California Corrections: A Blueprint to Save Billions
of Dollars, End Federal Oversight, and Improve the Prison System."
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, 1991.
(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.
(1) The department shall offer academic programming throughout an
inmate's incarceration that shall focus on increasing the reading
ability of an inmate to at least a 9th grade level.
(2) For inmates reading at a 9th grade level or higher, the
department shall focus on helping the inmate obtain a general
education development certificate or high school diploma.
(3) The department shall offer college programs through voluntary
education programs.
(4) While the department shall offer education to target
populations, priority shall be given to those with a criminogenic
need for education.
(b) In complying with the requirements of this section, the
department shall give strong consideration to computer-assisted
training and other innovations which that
have proven to be effective in reducing illiteracy of
among 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.