BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    




                   Senate Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary
                          Senator Carole Migden, Chairwoman

                                           842 (Machado)
          
          Hearing Date:  5/26/05          Amended: 4/26/05
          Consultant: Nora Lynn           Policy Vote: Public Safety 5-0
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          BILL SUMMARY:   

          SB 842 requires the Attorney General (AG) to conduct a study of  
          batterers' treatment programs and report its findings to the  
          Legislature by June 30, 2008.

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                            Fiscal Impact (in thousands)

           Major Provisions               2005-06     2006-07    2007-08    Fund
           
          Batterers treatment study    $260      $254              General

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          STAFF COMMENTS: SUSPENSE FILE
          
          SB 842 tasks the AG with preparing a study of the attendance,  
          enrollment and reoffense rates among batterers' treatment  
          program participants in five counties of the state, including  
          one rural, on urban, one in Northern California and one in  
          Southern California. The study is to reflect the programs'  
          policies regarding attendance, enrollment, periodic reporting to  
          probation departments or the courts, and the impacts of  
          noncompletion on participants' recidivism.

          The AG estimates costs of approximately $514,000 to complete the  
          study, which includes two research staff, $20,000 in travel  
          expenses, and $15,000 for operating expenses and equipment.