BILL ANALYSIS
AB 235
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Date of Hearing: March 23, 1999
Counsel: Bruce E. Chan
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY
Mike Honda, Chair
AB 235 (Kuehl) - As Introduced: January 28, 1999
SUMMARY : Creates the California Youth Violence Prevention
Authority within the Attorney General's (AG) Office. The
Authority has duties and responsibilities related to the
prevention of youth violence, including the production of a
statewide plan for the coordination of violence prevention
programs by January 1, 2001. Specifically, this bill :
1)Creates the California Youth Violence Prevention Authority
within the AG's office. The Authority's duties include
providing coordination of state and local efforts to prevent
violence among youth, assisting local communities in their
efforts to implement programs and strategies, seeking funding
for programs, providing public education on effective program
models, providing training and technical assistance, and
advocating for the prevention of violence among children,
youth and families.
2)Provides for the preparation of a statewide plan for the
augmentation, allocation, and coordination of youth violence
prevention programs and resources.
3)Creates an advisory board composed of representatives from the
AG, Superintendent of Public Instruction, Director of the
Youth Authority, Director of the Office of Criminal Justice
Planning, and Director of the Department of Health Services.
The advisory board also includes eight public members. Four
of the members are appointed by the Governor and include a
local law enforcement officer, a chief probation officer, an
advocate or individual representing victims of violent crime,
and a representative of a school or school district that has
implemented a school-based violence prevention program. The
remaining four public members are appointed by the AG and
include a representative of a community-based agency, a
criminologist, a medical or health professional, and a youth
member under the age of 25.
4)Creates the State Violence Prevention Fund in the State
AB 235
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Treasury. Funds received from private, state, or federal
sources for violence prevention purposes may be deposited into
the Fund. Upon appropriation by the Legislature, these funds
are used by the Authority to carry out the purposes of this
bill.
EXISTING LAW requires the Department of Justice to carry out
specified duties, including duties relating to the controlling
of crime and the administration of justice. Existing law
further authorizes the Department of the Youth Authority to
incarcerate and supervise certain youthful offenders.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
COMMENTS :
1)Author's Statement : According to the author, "In 1994, the
Little Hoover commission reported that early intervention is a
prime and necessary ingredient to keep at risk children from
beginning a life of criminal activity. The state's response
to this concern has been both fragmented and inefficient. As
a 1996 Commonweal study noted, the state of California funds
at least twenty-six different youth violence prevention
programs, and these programs are administered by nine
different state agencies. AB 235 consolidates these efforts
under one comprehensive state agency. . . . By coordinating
state programs, the Authority will more efficiently address
the needs of local service providers. The Authority will
build the capacity of organizations, communities, and local
government to develop, implement, and evaluate prevention
programs. AB 235 centralizes authority over juvenile crime
prevention."
2)Prior Legislation : SB 822 (Lockyer), of the 1997-98
Legislative Session, was substantially similar to this bill
and vetoed by the Governor.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
Attorney General's Office, Co-Sponsor
Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs
Chief Probation Officers of California
Commonweal
AB 235
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Little Hoover Commission
Los Angeles County Probation Officers Union
Opposition
None on file
Analysis Prepared by : Bruce E. Chan / apubs / (916) 319-3744