Administration of Justice 02/25/2011
Local Fees
AB 1053 (Gordon) – Sponsor/Support
As Introduced on February 18, 2011
AB 1053, by Assembly Member Richard Gordon, would authorize
counties to increase fees for four specified services including
laboratory analysis for specified alcohol and drug related
offenses, juvenile public defender registration, and specified
vital record requests. As counties recall, counties must go
before the Legislature for authorization to increase specified
local fees if the current fee structure does not cover counties’
costs in providing the service.
Although awaiting formal endorsement by the Board of Directors,
CSAC intends to sponsor AB 1053, which is seen as a supplement to
SB 676 (Wolk, 2009). The latter measure successfully increased
statutorily set fees for more than 11 services. We encourage
counties to review and consider supporting AB 1053. The CSAC
Board of Directors will be asked to approve sponsorship of this
measure at its meeting in late March.
AB 1053 is currently awaiting policy committee assignment.
AB 900/Local Jail Construction
AB 1197 (Hill and V. Manuel Perez) – Pending
As Introduced on February 18, 2011
AB 1197, by Assembly Member Jerry Hill, would make modifications
to AB 900, the Public Safety and Offender Rehabilitation Services
Act of 2007 that authorized lease-revenue bonds for construction
of state and local detention facilities. The measure is currently
in spot bill form, but is seen as a potential vehicle to revise
AB 900 in the context of realignment. CSAC staff will monitor the
measure as it is amended and encourages counties to provide
feedback.
AB 1197 is currently awaiting assignment to a policy committee.
Disposition of Human Remains
SB 413 (La Malfa) – Watch
As Introduced on February 16, 2011
SB 413, by Senator Doug La Malfa, expresses legislative intent –
without identifying a specific approach – to eliminate fees for
the disposition of human remains. However, in talking to the
author’s office, it appears that the ultimate objective of the
bill is to address the burial permit process and identify at what
point in the process of obtaining a permit an individual is
allowed to bury the deceased. CSAC will continue to monitor this
measure as it evolves.
SB 413 is currently awaiting assignment to a policy committee.
Juvenile Offenders
AB 321 (Hernandez) – Request for Comment
As Introduced on February 9, 2011
AB 321, by Assembly Member Roger Hernandez, seeks to address
obscene material offenses committed by minors. Specifically, the
measure would require a juvenile found to be in possession of
obscene material to pay a fine of up to $1,000 and attend
counseling that is to be paid for by the minor’s parents unless
it is determined that the parents are unable to pay. However, the
parents’ inability to pay will not excuse the minor from
completing the counseling requirements.
CSAC is reviewing this measure to determine impacts upon the
mental health system should increasing numbers of youth require
the services of the county mental health departments to meet the
counseling requirements of their sentence. Please send your
county’s perspective toRosemary McCool.
AB 321 is currently awaiting assignment to a policy committee.
NACo to Hold Roundtable Discussion on Performance Incentive Funding in Corrections
During NACo’s 2011 Legislative Conference, there will be a
roundtable discussion on performance incentive funding and other
new tools aimed at improving public safety and controlling
corrections costs for both counties and states. Judge Roger
Warren, President Emeritus of the National Center for State
Courts (NCSC); Jason Newman, Senior Associate at the Pew Center
on the States; and Lori Eville, Correctional Program Specialist,
Community Corrections Division, the National Institute of
Corrections will facilitate discussion. Among the projects
highlighted as promising models is California’s Community
Corrections Performance Incentive Act of 2009, established by SB
678 (Leno and Benoit). Thus far, our state’s county probation
departments returned some 4,000 fewer probation violators to
state prison in the first year, saving the state $118 million.
Counties are expected to receive $55 million of those savings in
FY 2011-2012 to reinvest in improving probation.
The focus group will meet Sunday, March 6, 2011 as part NACo’s
upcoming legislative conference in Washington, DC. For more
information on this discussion, please contact Maeghan Gilmore of NACo’s
staff at 202-942-4261.