BILL NUMBER: AB 1672	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 11, 2016
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 28, 2016
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 8, 2016
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  FEBRUARY 23, 2016

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Mathis
   (Coauthors: Assembly Members Chang and Chávez)

                        JANUARY 15, 2016

   An act to add and repeal Section 68530 of the Government Code,
relating to courts.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1672, as amended, Mathis. Veterans  and community
  treatment  courts: Judicial Council 
study.   assessment and survey. 
   Existing law establishes a statewide system of courts with a
superior court of one or more judges in each county. Existing law
requires the Judicial Council to prescribe the methods, means, and
standards for electronic collection of data related to court
administration, practice, and procedure.
   This bill would require the Judicial Council to  conduct,
until January 1, 2018, a study on the impact of veterans courts or
veterans treatment courts on veterans involved with the criminal
justice system, the impact on veterans of lack of access to veterans
courts or veterans treatment courts in those counties that do not
have them, the utility of community courts as a substitute for
veterans courts or veterans treatment courts, and the use of
technology to deliver veterans court services to counties without
veterans courts or veterans treatment courts,   assess,
on a statewide basis, veterans treatment courts currently in
operation, survey counties that do not operate veterans treatment
courts to identify barriers to program implementation, and assess the
need to establish veterans courts in those counties, as specified,
 if funds are received for the  study, as specified.
  assessment and survey.  The bill would require
the Judicial Council to report to the Legislature on the results of
the  study,   assessment and survey,  as
specified, on or before June 1, 2019.
   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 68530 is added to the Government Code, to read:

   68530.  (a) If the Judicial Council receives funds for the purpose
of implementing this section, the Judicial Council  shall,
commencing on January 1, 2017, and concluding on January 1, 2018,
study and assess   shall do all of  the following:

   (1) The impact of veterans courts or veterans treatment courts on
veterans involved with the criminal justice system, including, but
not limited to, the impact on recidivism, mental health,
homelessness, employment, social stability, and substance abuse.
 
   (2) The impact of lack of access to veterans courts or veterans
treatment courts on veterans involved in the criminal justice system
in counties that do not have veterans courts or veterans treatment
courts.  
   (3) The utility of community courts as a substitute for veterans
courts in counties that do not have veterans courts or veterans
treatment courts.  
   (4) The use of technology to deliver veterans court services to
counties without veterans courts or veterans treatment courts.
 
   (1) Assess, on a statewide basis, veterans treatment courts
currently in operation, including the number of veteran participants
in the program, available services, and program outcomes including,
but not limited to, the number successful program completions or
program terminations. The assessment shall evaluate the impact of a
sample of veterans treatment courts on participant outcomes,
including, but not limited to, program recidivism, mental health,
homelessness, employment, social stability, and substance abuse.
 
   (2) Survey counties that do not operate veterans treatment courts
to identify barriers to program implementation and assess the need
for veterans treatment courts in those jurisdictions based on
available existing veterans services and the estimated number of
veterans involved in the local criminal justice system. The survey
shall identify alternative resources that may be available to
veterans, such as community courts or other collaborative justice
courts. 
   (b) On or before June 1, 2019, the Judicial Council shall report
to the Legislature on the results of the  study. 
 assessment and survey described in subdivision (a).  The
report shall include recommendations regarding the expansion of
 veterans court services   veterans treatment
courts  to counties without  veterans courts or
 veterans treatment  courts, including the 
 courts and shall explore the  feasibility  and
implementation of technology that will support that expansion.
  of designing regional model veterans treatment courts
through the use of service coordination or technological resources.
 The report shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795
of the Government Code.
   (c) Fifty percent of the funds required for the  study
  assessment, survey,  and report described in this
section shall be funded by private sources, and 50 percent of the
funds  required for the study  shall be funded by
the state, upon appropriation by the Legislature.
   (d) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1,
2020, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted
statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2020, deletes or extends
that date.