BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    


                                                                 AB 1669
                                                                 Page  1

         Date of Hearing:   May 21, 2003

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                              Darrell Steinberg, Chair

                      AB 1669 (Chu) - As Amended:  May 13, 2003 

         Policy Committee:                              Public  
         SafetyVote:7-0

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

          SUMMARY  

         This bill revises, effective January 1, 2005, qualifications for  
         physicians and psychologists who evaluate the mental and emotional  
         fitness of a peace officer for duty, and provides that only  
         physicians and psychologists so qualified may perform these  
         evaluations. Specifically, this bill requires the emotional and  
         mental condition of a peace officer to be evaluated by either of  
         the following:
          
         1)A licensed physician and surgeon board-certified in psychiatry  
           by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology with at least  
           five years of post-graduate experience in diagnosis and  
           treatment of emotional disorders, with at least three of these  
           years accrued post-doctorate, or,

         2)A licensed psychologist with a doctorate in psychology and at  
           least five years of post-graduate experience in the diagnosis  
           and treatment of emotional disorders, with at least three of  
           these years accrued post-doctorate.

         (Current law requires a licensed physician or surgeon, or a  
         licensed psychologist with a doctorate in psychology and at least  
         five years of post-graduate experience in the diagnosis and  
         treatment of emotional disorders.)
          
          FISCAL EFFECT  

         Negligible nonreimbursable local costs for prosecuting violations  
         of this section. 

          COMMENTS  








                                                                 AB 1669
                                                                 Page  2

          Rationale  . This measure is one of a series of bills responding to  
         the recommendations of the Speaker's Commission on Police Conduct,  
         which was formed last summer to examine the use of force by  
         California police agencies with the goal of improving policies and  
         procedures to ensure the safety and civil rights of those who are  
         arrested.

         According to the author, "This bill is necessary to ensure that  
         mental health professionals who are performing fitness for duty  
         evaluations and pre-employment screening for peace officers are  
         qualified to do so." 


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