BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    




          Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary

                                AB 235  (Kuehl)

Hearing Date:9/8/99             Amended:8/25/99        
Consultant: Lisa Matocq         Policy Vote:Pub Saf 5-0
____________________________________________________________ 

BILL SUMMARY:   AB 235 establishes the California Youth  
Violence Prevention Authority (Authority), and appropriates  
$375,000 to the Authority to cover 1999-2000 costs.  
   
                         Fiscal Impact (in thousands)
  Major Provisions                       1999-2000         2000-01        2001-02      
  Fund  
Authority                      $ 375*   $ 750        $ 750                   
General 
 *Appropriated in the bill.             

STAFF COMMENTS:  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, 
 establish a 17-member advisory board, and meet at least  
  quarterly, and
 annually prepare the Violence Prevention Budget Analysis,  
  with recommendations for expenditures of state funds and  
  grants.  

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plan, that this chapter should be repealed no later than 1  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.  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, then-Governor Wilson  
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 based on  
similar concerns.