BILL NUMBER:  SB 851
  VETOED	DATE: 10/14/2007




To the Members of the California State Senate:

I am returning Senate Bill 851 without my signature.

Although the provisions of this bill are to be implemented contingent
upon the availability of funds, this bill would place a tremendous
cost pressure on the General Fund to increase mental health services
provided to inmates and parolees.  The California Department of
Corrections and Rehabilitation estimates annual costs for the staff
necessary to implement this bill would exceed $14 million annually.

While I agree that more efforts need to be made to ensure that
prisoners with mental health issues receive appropriate treatment,
this bill allows people who have committed crimes to avoid punishment
completely because of a mental health issue.  This bill would also
enable a defendant to not enter a plea or make an admission of guilt.


The mental health courts model specified in this bill is an important
component of public safety and for managing our criminal justice
system and I hope that the author will continue to work on mental
health issues, especially as it relates to mentally ill criminal
offenders so that California can reduce recidivism rates and provide
proper treatment for healthier citizens.

Sincerely,



Arnold Schwarzenegger