BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                  AB 1536
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   May 23, 2001

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                              Carole Migden, Chairwoman

                    AB 1536 (Cardenas) - As Amended:  May 1, 2001 

          Policy Committee:                              Public  
          SafetyVote:  7-0

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program:  
          Yes    Reimbursable:              Yes

           SUMMARY  

          This bill creates a truancy court pilot program within one  
          division of the juvenile court in LA County to hear truancy  
          violations in LA County. Specifically, this bill:
           
          1)Requires cases to be referred to the truancy court from the  
            School Attendance Review Board and the Los Angeles Truancy  
            Mediation Program.

          2)Requires the truancy court to be staffed by a district  
            attorney, public defender, school district liaison, probation  
            officer, mental health professional, special education expert,  
            and a case manager who volunteer to work in the truancy court.

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          Appropriates $1.5 million (GF) to support the pilot program.

           COMMENTS

          Rationale  . The author contends a truancy court will help stem  
          the tide of dropouts and prevent costly delinquency.



           Analysis Prepared by  :    Geoff Long / APPR. / (916)319-2081