BILL NUMBER: AB 1672	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 27, 2016
	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   Chang,  
Chávez,   Cristina Garcia,   and Hadley  )
    (   Coauthor:   Senator   Fuller
  ) 

                        JANUARY 15, 2016

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



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1672, as amended, Mathis. Veterans treatment courts: Judicial
Council 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 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 assessment and survey. The bill would require
the Judicial Council to report to the Legislature on the results of
the assessment and survey, as specified, on or before June 1, 2019.
 The bill would create the Veterans Court Assessment Fund in the
State Treasury, administered by the State Controller, and would
authorize the fund to accept private donations, as specified. The
bill would appropriate specified sums from the Veterans Court
Assessment Fund and from the General Fund for the purpose of
conducting the assessment, survey, and report. 
   Vote:  majority   2/3  . Appropriation:
 no   yes  . 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 do all of
the following:
   (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
  outcomes,  including, but not limited to, the
number  of  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 assessment and survey
described in subdivision (a). The report shall include
recommendations regarding the expansion of veterans treatment courts
to counties without veterans treatment courts and shall explore the
feasibility 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 assessment,
survey, and report described in this section shall be funded by
private sources, and 50 percent of the funds shall be funded by the
state, upon appropriation by the Legislature. 
   (d) The Veterans Court Assessment Fund is hereby created in the
State Treasury. The fund shall be administered by the State
Controller. The fund may accept private donations from entities and
individuals, and the Controller shall deposit the donations into the
fund.  
   (d) 
    (e)  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.
   SEC. 2.    If this act is not enacted, the State
Controller shall return any funds donated to the Veterans Court
Assessment Fund or donated for the purpose of carrying out the
assessment, survey, and report described in Section 1 of this act to
the entity or individual who made the donation in an amount equal to
the donation. 
   SEC. 3.    The sum of one hundred thousand dollars
($100,000) is hereby appropriated from the Veterans Court Assessment
Fund to the Judicial Council for the purpose of conducting the
assessment, survey, and report described in Section 68530 of the
Government Code. 
   SEC. 4.    The sum of one hundred thousand dollars
($100,000) is hereby appropriated from the General Fund to the
Judicial Council for the purpose of conducting the assessment,
survey, and report described in Section 68530 of the Government Code.