BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                       



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          |SENATE RULES COMMITTEE            |                  AB 2192|
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                                 THIRD READING


          Bill No:  AB 2192
          Author:   Bass (D)
          Amended:  8/7/06 in Senate
          Vote:     21

           
           SENATE HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE  :  3-2, 6/27/06
          AYES:  Alquist, Chesbro, Romero
          NOES:  Maldonado, Aanestad

           SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE  :  8-5, 8/17/06
          AYES:  Murray, Alarcon, Alquist, Escutia, Florez, Ortiz,  
            Romero, Torlakson
          NOES:  Aanestad, Ashburn, Battin, Dutton, Poochigian

           ASSEMBLY FLOOR  :  47-32, 5/31/06 - See last page for vote


           SUBJECT  :    CalWORKs

           SOURCE  :     Author


           DIGEST  :    This bill permits persons convicted of felony  
          crimes involving use or possession of drugs to qualify for  
          California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids  
          under specified circumstances.

           ANALYSIS  :    

           Existing Law
           
           1.Federal law provides that any person convicted of a  
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            controlled substance-related felony is ineligible for  
            Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or Food  
            Stamp benefits unless state legislation is enacted after  
            August 22, 1996 to explicitly permit them to be eligible  
            for these benefits.

           2.State law denies CalWORKs eligibility to individuals  
            convicted of controlled substance-related felonies after  
            December 31, 1997.

          This bill:

           1.Opts California out of the lifetime prohibition on  
            receipt of benefits funded by the TANF block grant and  
            establishes CalWORKs eligibility for otherwise-eligible  
            persons convicted of a drug-related felony.

           2.Continues to deny CalWORKs benefits to persons convicted  
            of unlawfully transporting, importing, selling,  
            furnishing, possessing for sale, manufacturing,  
            cultivating or committing similar acts related to  
            controlled substances.

           3.Requires that to be eligible for CalWORKs, a person  
            convicted of a drug-related felony related to possession  
            or use must provide proof of one of the following:

             A.   Completion, participation in, enrollment in or  
               placement on a waiting list for a  
               government-recognized drug treatment program, after  
               which no drug testing shall be required

             B.   Quarterly completion of a clean drug test  
               following receipt of benefits.

             C.   Other evidence that the illegal use of controlled  
               substances has ceased, pursuant to regulations  
               adopted by the State Department of Social Services  
               (DSS).

           4.Permits implementation by all-county letter on January  
            1, 2007, and requires regulations to be adopted no later  
            than July 1, 2007.








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           FISCAL EFFECT  :    Appropriation:  No   Fiscal Com.:  Yes    
          Local:  Yes

          According to the Senate Appropriations Committee:

                          Fiscal Impact (in thousands)

          Major Provisions              2006-07   2007-08    
          2008-09Fund

          CalWORKS benefits   $1,266    `$1,423   $811         GF/FF

          Potential, off-setting savings of approx. $700,000 annually  
          due to reduced recidivism.

           SUPPORT  :   (Verified  6/27/06)

          American Civil Liberties Union
          American Federation of State, County and Municipal  
          Employees 
          Asian Pacific American Legal Center 
          California Alcohol and Drug Program Administrators  
          Association 
             of California 
          California Catholic Conference
          California Commission on the Status of Women
          California Peace Officers' Association
          California Police Chiefs Association
          County Welfare Directors Association of California
          Families to Amend California's Three Strikes
          Jericho
          National Association of Social Workers, California Chapter
          National Center on Youth Law 
          A New Way of Life Re-entry Project
          Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors
          Western Center on Law and Poverty

           OPPOSITION  :    (Verified  6/27/06)

          Department of Finance


           ASSEMBLY FLOOR  : 
          AYES:  Baca, Bass, Berg, Bermudez, Calderon, Canciamilla,  







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            Chan, Chavez, Chu, Cohn, Coto, De La Torre, Dymally,  
            Evans, Frommer, Goldberg, Hancock, Jerome Horton, Jones,  
            Karnette, Klehs, Koretz, Laird, Leno, Levine, Lieber,  
            Lieu, Liu, Matthews, Montanez, Mullin, Nation, Nava,  
            Negrete McLeod, Oropeza, Parra, Pavley, Ridley-Thomas,  
            Ruskin, Saldana, Salinas, Torrico, Umberg, Vargas, Wolk,  
            Yee, Nunez
          NOES:  Aghazarian, Benoit, Blakeslee, Bogh, Cogdill,  
            Daucher, DeVore, Emmerson, Garcia, Harman, Haynes,  
            Shirley Horton, Houston, Huff, Keene, La Malfa, La Suer,  
            Leslie, Maze, McCarthy, Mountjoy, Nakanishi, Niello,  
            Plescia, Richman, Sharon Runner, Spitzer, Strickland,  
            Tran, Villines, Walters, Wyland
          NO VOTE RECORDED:  Arambula


          CTW:do 8/19/06   Senate Floor Analyses 

                         SUPPORT/OPPOSITION:  SEE ABOVE

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