BILL ANALYSIS
Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary
SB 175 (Rainey)
Hearing Date:5/10/99 Amended:4/14/99
Consultant: Lisa Matocq Policy Vote:Pub Saf 5-0
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BILL SUMMARY: SB 175, known as the Prison Inmate
Population Master Plan, (1) allows county correctional
facilities to house persons convicted of nonviolent
felonies and sentenced to not more than 35 months, as
specified, (2) states legislative intent that a total of
$200 million be appropriated to Board of Corrections (BOC)
in the annual Budget Act over the next 3 years for this
purpose, and (3) makes related changes.
Fiscal Impact (in thousands)
Major Provisions 1999-2000 2000-01 2001-02
Fund
County incarceration $ 20,000*$ 60,000* $120,000*
General
contracts offset by unknown state prison
incarceration
cost savings, potentially significant
BOC administration $ 305 $ 900 $ 1,000
General
Medical Detention One-time startup costs probably under
General
Program $150, unknown ongoing costs or savings
Evaluation Panel --------- Under $150 annually ----------
General
*Based on intent language in the bill.
STAFF COMMENTS: This bill meets the criteria to be placed
on the Suspense File. Current law generally limits
confinement in local correctional facilities to persons
committed for one year or less. This bill:
provides that county correctional facilities may house
persons convicted of nonviolent felonies and sentenced to
not more than 35 months, if the county has an approved
community-based punishment plan and has contracted with
BOC to place that type of offender,
states legislative intent that $20 million be
appropriated to BOC in 1999-2000, $60 million in 2000-01,
and $120 million in 2001-02 to be used for the costs of
county contracts,
requires CDC to establish a Medical Detention Program to
use licensed health care facilities for medical,
developmental, and mental health services for the
treatment of severely ill, incapacitated, and disabled
inmates, and
creates a 5-member Medical Detention Evaluation Panel.
To the extent that counties participate in this program,
there are unknown increased costs, probably multimillions
annually for county incarceration, probable capital outlay,
and program start-up. Counties are to be reimbursed for
incarceration costs to the extent those costs don't exceed
the cost of incarceration in state prison (CDC's average
cost to house an inmate is $21,243 annually; the
overcrowding rate is $11,321). To the extent that costs
are less in a county facility, there are unknown,
potentially significant, incarceration cost savings.
Although there is no reliable data readily available, BOC
reports that based on a recent survey, the average cost to
house an inmate in a county jail is about $18,000.
According to CDC, approximately 5967 inmates could be
affected by this bill in 2000-01, 19,358 in 2001-02, and
20,334 in 2002-03; in subsequent years it increases by only
300 inmates per year. However, the actual number of
inmates affected depends upon the number of counties that
opt to contract with BOC. In addition, BOC estimates
administrative costs of $305,000 in the first year,
$900,000 in the second, and $1 million in subsequent years.
There are increased costs of less than $150,000 for
establishment of the Medical Detention Program. According
to CDC, it is unclear whether or not a program could be
developed by CDC which would qualify for any federal
funding. Therefore, there are unknown costs or savings in
subsequent years. In addition, there are increased costs
of less than $150,000 annually for travel and per diem to
establish the 5-member evaluation panel and to develop
recommendations.
SB 295 (Rainey) of 1997 was nearly identical to this bill
when it passed this Committee, but these provisions were
later amended out of the bill.
SB 297 (Polanco), an urgency bill awaiting action in Senate
Public Safety Committee, requires YACA to complete a
comprehensive master plan, including inmate housing, to
protect the public safety. SB 904 (Costa), an urgency bill
awaiting action in Senate Public Safety Committee,
authorizes the construction of a new prison at Delano. SB
1042 (Knight), also being heard in this Committee today,
authorizes CDC to contract for up to 4,000 community
correctional facility beds. AB 326 (Leonard), awaiting
action in Assembly Appropriations Committee, authorizes 6
new state prisons and state GO bonds. AB 720 (Dickerson),
also awaiting action in the Assembly Appropriations
Committee, authorizes 18 new CDC fire conservation camps.
AB 1478 (Baugh), awaiting action in Assembly Public Safety
Committee, authorizes CDC to contract for the establishment
of CCFs that are dedicated to geriatric, developmentally
disabled, and mentally ill inmates only.