BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    




          Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary

                                AB 235  (Kuehl)

Hearing Date:8/16/99            Amended:5/28/99        
Consultant: Lisa Matocq         Policy Vote:Pub Saf 5-0
____________________________________________________________ 

BILL SUMMARY:   AB 235 establishes the California Youth  
Violence Prevention Authority (Authority) within the  
Attorney General's (AG) office, and specifies that funding  
shall be provided from an amount appropriated to the AG in  
the Budget Act of 2000.    
                         Fiscal Impact (in thousands)
  Major Provisions                       1999-2000         2000-01        2001-02      
  Fund  
Authority                        Unknown increased costs, probably at least     
General 
                      $250 annually beginning 2000-01  

STAFF COMMENTS:  This bill meets the criteria to be placed  
on the Suspense File.   Under current law, various state  
agencies, including the Office of Criminal Justice  
Planning, the Department of Justice, and the California  
Youth Authority, are responsible for administering youth  
violence prevention programs.   This bill establishes the  
Authority to, among other things:  

 provide statewide leadership in efforts to prevent youth  
  violence,
 seek, receive, and administer grants and funds from  
  public and private sources, as specified, 
 develop a statewide plan, by January 1, 2001, for the  
  augmentation, allocation and coordination of youth  
  violence prevention programs and resources, 
 provide public education, training, and technical  
  assistance, and 
 establish a 17-member advisory board, and meet at least  
  quarterly. 

Funding is to be provided from an amount appropriated to  
the AG in the Budget Act of 2000.  The bill states  
legislative intent that if no consolidation or coordination  
of existing programs is recommended in the plan, that this  
chapter should be repealed no later than 1 year after  
completion of the plan.   There are unknown increased  










costs.  The AG's office estimates costs of about $250,000  
to operate the Authority.  To the extent that the Authority  
requests and obtains additional state funding for grants,  
there are potential unknown increased costs.  To the extent  
that the plan results in coordinated or consolidated  
programs, there may be cost savings.

SB 822 (Lockyer) of 1998 was similar to this bill and was  
vetoed.  In his veto message the Governor expressed concern  
that although the intention of the bill was to centralize  
now fragmented efforts of ten state agencies, that it was  
more likely to become the 11th state agency.  SB 483  
(Schiff) of 1998 would have created the Department of  
Juvenile Justice to coordinate juvenile justice programs  
within the State.  It was vetoed by the Governor based on  
similar concerns.