BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 1956
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Date of Hearing: April 18, 2012
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Felipe Fuentes, Chair
AB 1956 (Portantino) - As Amended: March 22, 2012
Policy Committee: Public
SafetyVote: 6-0
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable:
SUMMARY
This bill expands the California Voluntary Tattoo Removal
Program to serve individuals, between 14 and 24, who were
tattooed for identification in human trafficking or
prostitution.
(Currently the program is designed to serve individuals between
14 and 24, who are in the custody of the California Department
of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) or county probation
departments, who are on parole or probation, or who are in a
community-based organization serving at-risk youth, who have
gang-related tattoos considered unprofessional, visible, and an
impediment to employment.)
FISCAL EFFECT
No direct state cost; the existing program is federally funded.
To the extent the current federal grant is extended, and to the
extent this bill is effective in encouraging the U.S. Department
of Justice (DOJ) to expand tattoo removal eligibility to human
trafficking/prostitution victims, there could be a minor
increase in the $250,000 grant and/or a minor decrease in the
number of former gang members the grant serves if eligibility is
expanded and the grant remains the same.
The state received $250,000 from a Byrne Justice Assistance
Grant (JAG) in 2011-12 for the California Voluntary Tattoo
Removal Program. It is not yet clear whether the grant will be
repeated in 2012-13.
According to the California Emergency Management Agency (Cal
AB 1956
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EMA), which currently administers Byrne/JAG grant, two
community-based organizations received a total of $228,000 for
tattoo removal and removed 620 tattoos from 100 individuals.
COMMENTS
1)Rationale. According to the author, "It has become a
disturbing trend for individuals to be tattooed for the
purposes of prostitution and human trafficking. These
individuals are forced to carry around these tattoos or
"brands" on their body, a constant reminder of their
exploitation and abuse. Current free tattoo removal programs
are limited to former members of gangs; this bill will include
individuals who were tattooed for this purpose to be eligible
for the current program that is administered by CAL EMA."
2)The California Voluntary Tattoo Removal Program , administered
by Cal-EMA was established in 2011(AB 1122, John A. Perez).
Cal EMA notes the current tattoo removal program is a one-time
pilot program funded from the 2011 Byrne JAG Award. Future
federal funding will be administered by the Board of State and
Community Corrections (BSCC), scheduled to serve as the
successor agency to Cal EMA, effective July 1, 2012.
Cal EMA notes that trafficking victims are not eligible for
tattoo removal under the 2011 JAG Award grant funds. In order
for BSCC to expand the tattoo removal program to this new
group, the U.S. DOJ needs to expand program eligibility.
3)Suggested Amendment . The author may wish to add an explicit
statement of legislative intent directing BSCC to work with
the U.S. DOJ to expand program eligibility.
Analysis Prepared by : Geoff Long / APPR. / (916) 319-2081