BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SENATE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Senator Ricardo Lara, Chair
2015 - 2016 Regular Session
SB 515 (Beall) - Grant programs
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|Version: April 6, 2015 |Policy Vote: PUB. S. 7 - 0 |
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|Urgency: No |Mandate: No |
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|Hearing Date: May 11, 2015 |Consultant: Jolie Onodera |
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This bill meets the criteria for referral to the Suspense File.
Bill
Summary: SB 515 would require the Board of State and Community
Corrections (BSCC) to award at least two-thirds of the grant
funding that is received by the BSCC under Proposition 47 to be
allocated to public behavioral health agencies, or other public
agencies that provide behavioral health services, as specified.
Fiscal
Impact:
Potentially significant increases in future grant awards
(Special Fund*) to state and local agencies to support
behavioral health programs, offset by comparable decreases in
future grant awards (Special Fund*) to state and local
agencies that otherwise would have been awarded funds under
the broader purposes authorized under existing law.
Potential increases or decreases in annual BSCC administrative
costs (Special Fund*) to administer and award grants under the
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required minimum two-thirds of the total allocation to support
behavioral health programs. While the five percent cap on
administrative costs remains unchanged, to the extent the BSCC
would receive greater or fewer proposals to review, or incur
varying workload costs to administer grant awards for specific
types of programs could result in an impact on total
administrative costs.
*Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Fund (SNSF)
Background: In 2014, the voters approved Proposition 47, the Safe
Neighborhoods and Schools Act, which reduces the penalties for
certain drug and property crimes and requires the resulting
state savings be disbursed by August 15 of each fiscal year
beginning in 2016 to various state agencies for specified
purposes, as follows:
Twenty-five percent to the Department of Education, to
administer a grant program to public agencies aimed at
improving outcomes for public school pupils in kindergarten
and grades 1 to 12, inclusive, by reducing truancy and
supporting students who are at risk of dropping out of
school or are victims of crime.
Ten percent to the Victim Compensation and Government
Claims Board, to make grants to trauma recovery centers to
provide services to victims of crime.
Sixty-five percent to the BSCC to administer a grant
program to public agencies aimed at supporting mental
health treatment, substance abuse treatment, and diversion
programs for people in the criminal justice system, with an
emphasis on programs that reduce recidivism of people
convicted of less serious crimes and those who have
substance abuse and mental health problems.
Under existing law, the agency responsible for administering
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the programs shall not spend more than five percent of the
total funds it receives from the SNSF on an annual basis for
administrative costs. (Government Code § 7599.2.)
Proposed Law:
This bill would require the BSCC, in awarding grants pursuant
to Proposition 47, to allocate at least two-thirds of the grant
funding to public behavioral health agencies, or other public
agencies that provide behavioral health services, that will use
the grant funds to provide evidence-based mental health services
and substance use disorder treatment services that are provided
by licensed or certified behavioral health professionals and
counselors.
Related
Legislation: AB 1056 (Atkins) 2015 would create the Second
Chance Program, to support mental health treatment, substance
use treatment, and diversion programs for persons in the
criminal justice system, with an emphasis on programs that
reduce recidivism of persons convicted of less serious crimes,
such as those covered by Proposition 47, and those who have
substance use and mental health problems.
This bill would require the BSCC to deposit funds it receives
under Proposition 47 into the Second Chance Fund for the
purposes of the Second Chance Program. This bill is pending
hearing in the Assembly Committee on Appropriations.
Staff
Comments: By requiring the BSCC to award at least two-thirds of
its Proposition 47 disbursement to behavioral health programs,
as specified, the provisions of this bill could result in
potentially significant increases in annual grant awards to
public agencies providing evidence-based mental health services
and substance use disorder treatment services. Consequently,
however, state and local agencies providing alternative programs
aimed at reducing recidivism would likely be awarded a reduced
amount of grant funding, as the amount available to support the
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broader purposes authorized under existing law would be
restricted to at most one-third of the total annual
disbursement.
The net impact on annual BSCC costs to administer and award
grants under the two-thirds allocation to support behavioral
health programs is unknown, and would be dependent on any change
in volume of grant proposals received that would require BSCC
review, as well as the varying workload required to administer
grant awards for various types of programs (i.e., housing
assistance, restorative justice services, or substance use
disorder treatment). While the five percent cap on
administrative costs remains unchanged, to the extent the BSCC
would incur varying workload costs to administer grant awards
for specific types of programs could result in an impact on
total administrative costs.
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