BILL ANALYSIS Ó ----------------------------------------------------------------- |SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | AB 2570| |Office of Senate Floor Analyses | | |1020 N Street, Suite 524 | | |(916) 651-1520 Fax: (916) | | |327-4478 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- THIRD READING Bill No: AB 2570 Author: Skinner (D) Amended: 8/13/14 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. Senate Floor Amendments of 8/13/14 reflect changes made to existing law in the Public Safety Budget Trailer Bill (AB 1468, Assembly Budget Committee, Chapter 26, Statutes of 2014). ANALYSIS : CONTINUED AB 2570 Page 2 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: 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 annually, on September 15th, and may submit other CONTINUED AB 2570 Page 3 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 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. CONTINUED AB 2570 Page 4 FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes Local: No SUPPORT : (Verified 8/12/14) California CURE California Police Chiefs Association California Public Defenders Association 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 8/14/14 Senate Floor Analyses SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE **** END **** CONTINUED