BILL NUMBER: AB 494	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE  MAY 7, 2013
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 1, 2013

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member V. Manuel Pérez

                        FEBRUARY 20, 2013

   An act to amend Section 2053.1 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 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  
to, among other things,  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
  , for an inmate reading at a 9th grade level or
higher,  focus on helping the inmate obtain a general education
development certificate  , or its equivalent,  or high
school diploma  for inmates reading at a 9th grade level or
higher  . This bill would also make technical,
nonsubstantive 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 Oversight, 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.
  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 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) 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   an inmate  reading at
a 9th grade level or higher, the department shall focus on helping
the inmate obtain a general education development certificate  or
its equivalent  or high school diploma.
   (3) The department shall offer college programs through voluntary
education programs  or equivalent programs  .
   (4) While the department shall offer education to target
populations, priority shall be given to those with a criminogenic
need for education  , those who have a need based on their
educational achievement level, or other factors as determined by the
department  .
   (b) In complying with the requirements of this section, the
department shall give strong consideration to computer-assisted
training and other innovations that have proven to be effective in
reducing illiteracy among disadvantaged adults.