BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 2060
Page 1
Date of Hearing: May 14, 2014
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Mike Gatto, Chair
AB 2060 (V. Manuel Perez) - As Amended: May 7, 2014
Policy Committee: Pubic
SafetyVote:7-0
Jobs 7-0
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable:
SUMMARY
This bill creates the Supervised Population Workforce Training
Grant Program, administered by the California Workforce
Investment Board (CWIB), to provide grant funding for vocational
training and apprenticeship opportunities for offenders under
county jurisdiction who are on probation, mandatory community
supervision, or post-release community supervision.
Requires CWIB to administer the grant program through a public
process, as specified, with preference for counties (a) with a
demonstrated collaborative working relationship with local
workforce investment boards; (b) with a workforce training
program in place for the supervised population; and (c) that
offer a funding match.
Requires grant recipients to report to CWIB regarding their use
of the funds and workforce training program outcomes upon
completion of the grant period and requires CWIB to report, as
specified, to the Legislature by January 1, 2018.
The program sunsets January 1, 2021.
FISCAL EFFECT
While the bill is silent on funding levels, a statewide grant
program of any significance would require funding in the
millions to tens of millions of dollars, depending on the
breadth of the program objectives. The stated objectives are
limited to "vocational training, stipends for trainees, and
apprenticeship opportunities for the supervised population."
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The bill requires the grant program be competitive, open to all
counties, and funded, upon appropriation from the Legislature,
using money from the Recidivism Reduction Fund (RRF).
The Recidivism Reduction Fund is currently projected to have at
least $81 million available for the 2014-15 budget year. The
Governor's Budget appropriates the entire fund:
1)$40 million for community re-entry facilities, residential
facilities that would provide substance abuse programming,
education, and employment assistance for about 500 inmates
prior to release.
2)$11.8 million to increase substance abuse treatment expansion
in state prisons.
3)$11.3 million to augment the Department of Corrections and
Rehabilitation's (CDCR) Integrated Services for Mentally Ill
Parolees program, expanding the program from 600 to 900
parolees.
4)$9.7 million for cognitive behavioral therapy and
rehabilitation programming at in-state contract correctional
facilities to serve about 4,000 inmates.
5)$8.3 million to fund the design phase of the Northern
California Reentry Facility in Stockton.
Budget subcommittees in both houses have indicated they are not
supportive of the governor's proposed RRF expenditures and will
consider alternatives in the weeks ahead.
COMMENTS
1)Rationale . The author contends that lack of employment is a
driving force behind criminal recidivism, and that earmarking
funds for employment training from the state's Recidivism
Reduction Fund is appropriate and essential.
According to the author, "With orders from the U.S. Supreme
Court to reduce its prison population, the state needs smart,
effective policies to help local jurisdictions achieve
realignment goals and reduce recidivism. Workforce development
for the re-entry population is a practical strategy for
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improving access to a stable job. It helps improve offender
outcomes, reduce the likelihood of recidivism, and promote
community safety and stability."
2)Current law provides for the Recidivism Reduction Fund in the
State Treasury to provide funding for activities designed to
reduce the recidivism of the prison population.
Pursuant to an order from the federal three-judge panel
presiding over the Plata/Coleman v. Brown cases, California
was required to reduce its prison population to 137.5% of
design capacity by December 31, 2013. In response, the
governor proposed expanding inmate capacity to comply with the
court order and avoid early release of inmates. The governor
and the Legislature subsequently agreed to a proposal to take
effect should the panel grant the state's request for more
time to comply. The proposal, contained in SB 105 (Steinberg),
Statutes 2013, stipulated that if the funding necessary to
comply with a revised court order extending the time to comply
is less than the $315 million appropriated to expand inmate
capacity, the first $75 million of any savings is allocated to
the Recidivism Reduction Fund. Any additional savings is to
be allocated evenly to the General Fund and the Recidivism
Reduction Fund.
Analysis Prepared by : Geoff Long / APPR. / (916) 319-2081