BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    




          Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary

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|                               |SB 659  (Wright)            |
|-------------------------------+----------------------------|
|                               |                            |
|-------------------------------+----------------------------|
|Hearing Date: 5/10/99          |Amended: 4/8/99             |
|-------------------------------+----------------------------|
|Consultant: David              |Policy Vote: H&HS 5-2       |
|Maxwell-Jolly                  |                            |
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____________________________________________________________ 

BILL SUMMARY: 

SB 659 allows persons convicted of felonies related to  
possession or use of controlled substances to receive  
CalWORKs aid and general assistance if they meet certain  
conditions related to drug treatment.  The recipient must  
submit to drug testing, and support for families with an  
individual receiving services under this provision must  
receive aid through the issuance of vouchers for rent and  
utility payments.  The bill also allows persons convicted  
for felonies related to the sale or transportation,  
distribution or manufacture of controlled substances to  
receive CalWORKs employment services if they meet similar  
conditions.

                         Fiscal Impact (in thousands)
  
Major Provisions    1998-99      1999-2000     2000-01      Fund  

Aid payments                  less than 150 annuallyGeneral &
                                                      Federal
CalWORKs services             unknown cost         General &
                                                      federal

STAFF COMMENTS:  

This bill meets the criteria to be placed on the Suspense  
file.  However, costs for services are covered by  
allocations to counties that are sufficient to provide  
services to all CalWORKs recipients expected to participate  
in work activities.  No budget adjustment would be expected  
if this bill were to pass.  Only 44 clients had drug  










convictions that affected their CalWORKs eligibility.

The conditions under which services are allowed include:
 Successful completion of a state-licensed treatment  
  program.
 Current participation in a state-licensed drug treatment  
  program or a court-mandated drug treatment or diversion  
  program.
 Willingness to enroll and subsequent verification of  
  enrollment in a program.
 At least 5 years having elapsed since the person  
  fulfilled the conditions imposed by the court in the  
  criminal case.