BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



                                                                            



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                                    THIRD READING


          Bill No:  AB 2570
          Author:   Skinner (D)
          Amended:  6/18/14 in Senate
          Vote:     21


           SENATE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE  :  5-0, 6/10/14
          AYES:  Hancock, Anderson, Knight, Liu, Steinberg
          NO VOTE RECORDED:  De León, Mitchell

          SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE  :  Senate Rule 28.8

           ASSEMBLY FLOOR  :  78-0, 5/15/14 (Consent) - See last page for  
            vote


           SUBJECT  :    Prisons:  California Rehabilitation Oversight Board

           SOURCE  :     Author


           DIGEST  :    This bill requires the California Rehabilitation  
          Oversight Board (C-ROB), beginning January 1, 2015, to examine  
          the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation's (CDCR) effort  
          to assist inmates and parolees obtain postrelease health care  
          coverage.

           ANALYSIS  :    

          Existing law:
           
           1.Creates C-ROB within the Office of the Inspector General, and  
            states that C-ROB shall consist of the following 11 members:
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             A.   The Inspector General, who shall serve as chair;

             B.   The Secretary of CDCR;

             C.   The Superintendent of Public Instruction, or his/her  
               designee;

             D.   The Chancellor of the California Community Colleges, or  
               his/her designee;

             E.   The Director of Health Care Services, or his/her  
               designee;

             F.   The Director of State Hospitals, or his/her designee;

             G.   A faculty member of the University of California who has  
               expertise in rehabilitation of criminal offenders,  
               appointed by the President of the University of California;

             H.   A faculty member of the California State University, who  
               has expertise in rehabilitation of criminal offenders,  
               appointed by the Chancellor of the California State  
               University;

             I.   A county sheriff, appointed by the Governor;

             J.   A county chief probation officer, appointed by the  
               Senate Committee on Rules; and

             AA.  A local government official who provides mental health,  
               substance abuse, or educational services to criminal  
               offenders, appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly.

          1.Requires C-ROB to meet at least quarterly, and regularly  
            examine the various mental health, substance abuse,  
            educational, and employment programs for inmates and parolees  
            operated by CDCR.  C-ROB shall report to the Governor and the  
            Legislature biannually, on March 15th and September 15th, and  
            may submit other reports during the year if it finds they are  
            necessary.  The reports shall include, but are not limited to,  
            findings on the effectiveness of treatment efforts,  
            rehabilitation needs of offenders, gaps in rehabilitation  
            services in CDCR, and levels of offender participation and  

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            success in the programs.  C-ROB shall also make  
            recommendations to the Governor and Legislature with respect  
            to modifications, additions, and eliminations of  
            rehabilitation and treatment programs.

          This bill requires C-ROB, beginning January 1, 2015, to examine  
          CDCR's effort to assist inmates and parolees obtain postrelease  
          health care coverage.

           Comments
           
          According to the author's office: 

          There are a variety of programs that assist inmates and parolees  
          become productive citizens in our communities.  Under existing  
          law, C-ROB is the entity charged with reviewing these  
          rehabilitation and treatment programs.  The goal of this review  
          is to ensure that the State has adequate services for inmates  
          and parolees and also to identify deficiencies.  C-ROB was  
          created in 2007 to provide recommendations to the Legislature  
          and the Governor on whether inmate rehabilitation and treatment  
          programs need modification, additions, or elimination.   
          Successful rehabilitation programs would mean less recidivism  
          throughout the state.

          Currently, C-ROB is not required to review health care programs  
          that would help inmates and parolees rehabilitate.  The health  
          care of an inmate is a key factor in whether he/she will be able  
          to successfully reintegrate into society.  Inmates who need  
          medical attention in prison are likely to also need health care  
          once released.  Research shows that formerly incarcerated  
          individuals who have access to medical services upon release  
          have reduced recidivism rates, increasing the likelihood they  
          will become productive citizens.  A recent report studying the  
          social and health factors affecting recently released inmates  
          concludes that health insurance coverage for recently released  
          inmates is strongly associated with reduced recidivism rates for  
          men and women.  Adding health care review C-ROB's purview would  
          allow the state to identify programs to assist inmates who will  
          need medical services upon release.

           FISCAL EFFECT  :    Appropriation:  No   Fiscal Com.:  Yes    
          Local:  No


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           SUPPORT  :   (Verified  6/23/14)

          California CURE
          Legal Services for Prisoners with Children
          Root & Rebound
          Taxpayers for Improving Public Safety

           ASSEMBLY FLOOR  :  78-0, 5/15/14
          AYES:  Achadjian, Alejo, Allen, Ammiano, Bigelow, Bloom,  
            Bocanegra, Bonilla, Bonta, Bradford, Brown, Buchanan, Ian  
            Calderon, Campos, Chau, Chávez, Chesbro, Conway, Cooley,  
            Dababneh, Dahle, Daly, Dickinson, Donnelly, Eggman, Fong, Fox,  
            Frazier, Beth Gaines, Garcia, Gatto, Gomez, Gonzalez, Gordon,  
            Gorell, Gray, Grove, Hagman, Hall, Harkey, Roger Hernández,  
            Holden, Jones, Jones-Sawyer, Levine, Linder, Logue, Lowenthal,  
            Maienschein, Medina, Melendez, Mullin, Muratsuchi, Nazarian,  
            Nestande, Olsen, Pan, Patterson, Perea, John A. Pérez, V.  
            Manuel Pérez, Quirk, Quirk-Silva, Rendon, Ridley-Thomas,  
            Rodriguez, Salas, Skinner, Stone, Ting, Wagner, Waldron,  
            Weber, Wieckowski, Wilk, Williams, Yamada, Atkins
          NO VOTE RECORDED:  Mansoor, Vacancy


          JG:e  6/23/14   Senate Floor Analyses 

                           SUPPORT/OPPOSITION:  SEE ABOVE

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