BILL NUMBER: AB 1672	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE  AUGUST 1, 2016
	AMENDED IN SENATE  JUNE 14, 2016
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MAY 31, 2016
	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 Members Mathis and Eggman
   (Principal coauthor: Assembly Member Quirk)
   (Coauthors: Assembly Members Chang, Chávez, Cristina Garcia,
Gonzalez, and Hadley)
   (  Coauthor:   Senator  
Fuller   Coauthors:   Senators  
Fuller  and Nguyen  )

                        JANUARY 15, 2016

   An act to add and repeal Section 68530 of the Government Code,
relating to 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
authorizes 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 report to the
Legislature on a study of veterans and veterans treatment courts that
includes a statewide assessment, as specified, of veterans treatment
courts currently in operation and a survey of counties that do not
operate veterans treatment courts that identifies barriers to program
implementation and assesses the need for veterans treatment courts
in those counties, if funds are received for that purpose. The bill
would require the Judicial Council to report to the Legislature on
the results of the study, as specified, on or before June 1, 2019.
The bill would create the Veterans Court Assessment Fund in the State
Treasury, administered by the Judicial Council, 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 study and
report.
   Vote: 2/3. Appropriation: 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 report to
the Legislature on a study of veterans and veterans treatment courts
that includes the following:
   (1) A statewide assessment of the veterans treatment courts
currently in operation that includes the number of veteran
participants in the program, services available, and program
outcomes, including successful completion 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) A survey of counties that do not operate veterans treatment
courts that identifies barriers to program implementation and
assesses the need for veterans treatment courts in those
jurisdictions based on the veterans services available 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 described in
subdivision (a). The report shall include recommendations regarding
the expansion of veterans treatment courts or services 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.
   (c) Fifty percent of the funds required for the study 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 Judicial
Council. The fund may accept private donations from entities and
 individuals, and the   individuals. The 
Judicial Council shall deposit the donations into the fund.
   (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 Judicial Council shall
return any funds donated to the Veterans Court Assessment Fund or
donated for the purpose of carrying out the study 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 study 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 study and report described in Section
68530 of the Government Code.