BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                                                                  AB 2129
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   April 30, 2014

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                  Mike Gatto, Chair

             AB 2129 (Jones-Sawyer) - As Introduced:  February 20, 2014 

          Policy Committee:                              Public Safety  
          Vote:        7-0

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program:  
          No     Reimbursable:               

           SUMMARY  

          This bill requires the Department of Corrections and  
          Rehabilitation (CDCR) to implement a voluntary prerelease  
          reentry program for all inmates to begin no later than six  
          months prior to release from prison. The program shall include  
          adult basic education, career technical education, postsecondary  
          education, and transition programs, such as employment skills,  
          financial literacy, and housing assistance. The program shall  
          also include cognitive behavior therapy, including substance  
          abuse treatment, anger management, and family relationships.
           
           FISCAL EFFECT  

          Significant ongoing GF costs, likely in the $10 million range  
          based on about 32,000 annual releases. 

          CDCR apparently intends to implement this proposal, presumably  
          in the budget year, as part of its ongoing efforts to reduce  
          recidivism, though at the time of this analysis, the department  
          had not provided an estimate. Assuming, however, about 2,500  
          releases per 13 re-entry hubs, six months of significant  
          programming would require at least $500,000 per facility, plus  
          program development, generating costs in the $7 million to $10  
          million range. 

           COMMENTS  

           1)Rationale  . The author contends enhanced pre-release programing  
            is essential to reduce recidivism rates that continue to hover  
            around 65% within two years of release. 









                                                                  AB 2129
                                                                  Page  2

           2)Support  includes the defense bar, the CA Correctional Peace  
            Officers, and the CA Council of Community Mental Health  
            Agencies.

           3)There is no known opposition  . 



           Analysis Prepared by  :    Geoff Long / APPR. / (916) 319-2081