BILL ANALYSIS
SB 323
Page 1
SENATE THIRD READING
SB 323 (Hayden)
As Amended September 3, 1999
Majority vote
SENATE VOTE :24-11
PUBLIC SAFETY 6-2 APPROPRIATIONS 14-7
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|Ayes:|Honda, Cunneen, Cedillo, |Ayes:|Migden, Cedillo, Davis, |
| |Keeley, Romero, | |Hertzberg, Kuehl, Papan, |
| |Washington | |Romero, Shelley, |
| | | |Steinberg, Thomson, |
| | | |Wesson, Wiggins, Wright, |
| | | |Aroner |
| | | | |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
|Nays:|Battin, Oller |Nays:|Brewer, Ackerman, |
| | | |Ashburn, Campbell, |
| | | |Maldonado, Runner, Zettel |
| | | | |
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SUMMARY : Establishes the Peace Process Task Force (task force)
to address gang violence and prevention, and establishes the
Commission on Prison Peace to address gang violence prevention
in the California correctional system. Specifically, this bill :
1)Establishes the task force to hold public hearings, make
findings and recommendations regarding gang violence
prevention, and promote efforts to create a peace process.
2)States that the task force is a joint project of state
government, educational institutions, private foundations, and
consist of 11 members appointed as follows:
a) Two members are appointed by the Senate Committee on
Rules; and each appointee will have specified experience
related to gangs, crime, and violence;
b) Two members are appointed by the Speaker of the
Assembly; and each appointee will have specified experience
related to gangs, crime and violence;
SB 323
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c) Four members are appointed by the Governor; and each
appointee will have specified experience in law enforcement
or have professional experience with economic development
in communities with gang or violence problems; and,
d) Three members are appointed by the task force chair in
consultation with the Attorney General (AG); these
appointees' backgrounds should include former gang
membership, incarceration, and personal efforts to create
gang truces, and a commitment to resolving gang violence.
3)Provides that all appointments to the task force are made on
or before March 1, 2000, and reflect the ethnic and geographic
diversity of the gang problem and California.
4)Provides that no more than $200,000 is spent over two years to
carry out the mandate of this bill, and that this bill sunsets
as of January 1, 2002.
5)Establishes the Commission on Prison Peace, chaired by an
appointee of the Governor, and consist of 10 additional
members as follows: a) the chair and five additional members
are appointed by the Governor upon subsequent approval by the
Senate, and the appointees have specified law enforcement or
corrections experience; b) two members are appointed by the
Speaker of the Assembly, and two members appointed by the
Senate Committee on Rules. The legislative appointees are
academic, religious, or community leaders with demonstrated
records of working to lessen gang or prison violence; and, c)
the AG or a designee.
6)Requires the commission to identify the causes of violence and
recommend innovative approaches to prevent them and increase
peace and safety in California's correctional system,
including specified facilities.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee analysis, specifies that no more than $200,000 may be
spent over two years on the task force, and that this bill's
provisions shall become operative only upon a 1999 Budget Act
appropriation (which did not occur.)
COMMENTS : According to the author, "Unless California engages
itself I a peace-oriented process aimed at solving urban and
prison violence, our policies will continue to fail and
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generations of young people will continue to live lives filled
with despair and powerlessness rather than hope and empowerment.
SB 323 helps address these issues by including in the political
process the people working to create peaceful conditions in our
neighborhoods and prisons."
Please see the policy committee analysis for a more
comprehensive discussion of this bill.
Analysis Prepared by : Gregory Pagan / PUB. S. / (916) 319-3744
FN: 0003208