BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                          AB 235
                                                          Page  1

CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
AB 235 (Kuehl)
As Amended August 25, 1999
2/3 vote
  
ASSEMBLY: 57-22                 (June 3, 1999)                   
SENATE:   27-11                 (September 9, 1999)             
   
  Original Committee Reference:    PUB. S.
  
  SUMMARY  :  Creates the California Youth Violence Prevention  
Authority (CYVPA) within the Governor's Office.  The CYVPA 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.  
 

  The Senate amendments  :

1)Remove the CYVPA from the Office of the Attorney General (AG)  
  and places it within the state government.

2)Grant the authority to the Governor to appoint, after  
  consulting with the advisory board, the executive director of  
  the CYVPA.  The director shall be responsible to and hold  
  office at the pleasure of the Governor.

3)Provide that the annual report include recommendations on  
  budget allocations from the State Violence Prevention Fund if  
  SB 334 (Alpert) is enacted.

4)Add the Secretary of Health and Welfare and the Superintendent  
  of Public Instruction to the advisory board.  The advisory  
  board shall be co-chaired by the AG and the Secretary of  
  Health and Welfare.

5)Appropriate $375,000 to the CYVPA to support the staffing,  
  research, and operations of the authority from January 1, 2000  
  to June 30, 2000.

  AS PASSED BY THE ASSEMBLY  ,  this bill:

1)Created the CYVPA within the AG's office.  The CYVPA's duties  
  included providing coordination of state and local efforts to  
  prevent violence among youth, assisting local communities in  








                                                          AB 235
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  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)Provided for the preparation of a statewide plan for the  
  augmentation, allocation, and coordination of youth violence  
  prevention programs and resources.

3)Created 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 included eight public members.  Four  
  of the members are appointed by the Governor and included 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 had  
  implemented a school-based violence prevention program.  The  
  remaining four public members were appointed by the Speaker of  
  the Assembly and the Senate Rules Committee and included a  
  representative of a community-based agency, a criminologist, a  
  medical or health professional, and a youth member under the  
  age of 25.

4)Declared legislative intent to achieve greater efficiency in  
  government by considering consolidation of violence prevention  
  programs.

  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  :  According to the Assembly Appropriations  
Committee analysis, annual General Fund costs in the range of  
$300,000 for administration of the CYVPA.  This would support a  
staff of two professionals, two administrative assistants and a  
minor amount for office expenses and travel.

  COMMENTS  :  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  








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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."

Please see the policy committee analysis for a more  
comprehensive discussion of this bill.


  Analysis Prepared by  :  Bruce E. Chan / PUB. S. / (916) 319-3744   



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