California Assembly Bill AB2414 Latest Draft

 BILL NUMBER: AB 2414AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 23, 2012 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 29, 2012 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Solorio FEBRUARY 24, 2012 An act to add and repeal Title 2.07 (commencing with Section 3475) of Part 3 of the Penal Code, relating to youthful offender reentry programs. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 2414, as amended, Solorio. Postdischarge Youthful Offender Community Reentry Grant Programs. Existing law establishes various educational, vocational, reentry, and other programs for offenders in custody or released to parole or probation. This bill would establish, until 2018, a youthful offender reentry competitive grant program consisting of grants administered by the California Emergency Management Agency to eligible  community   nonprofit  programs, as defined, to target offenders who will be 16 to 23 years of age upon discharge from local or Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation facilities, or probation or parole, as specified. The bill  would make operation of the grant program contingent upon funds appropriated for that purpose   would specify that the bill does not mandate funding for the grant program and would authorize the agency to accept private contributions to fund its grants  . The bill would provide that participation by discharged offenders would be voluntary, and that priority would be given to youths who are gang affiliated, or who have a family member who is gang affiliated, as specified. The bill would set forth those elements which, at a minimum, would be required to be provided in an eligible  community   nonprofit  program by a grantee.  The bill would require the California Emergency Management Agency to maintain statistical information on the success of the program, including, but not limited to, the number of eligible youths served and the rate of return to custody for those eligible youths who enroll and participate in an eligible community program.  Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Title 2.07 (commencing with Section 3475) is added to Part 3 of the Penal Code, to read: TITLE 2.07. POSTDISCHARGE YOUTHFUL OFFENDER COMMUNITY REENTRY GRANT PROGRAMS 3475. (a)  The California Emergency Management Agency, to the extent that funds are appropriated for the purposes of this title, shall establish a Youthful Offender Reentry competitive grant program targeting offenders who will be between 16 and 23 years of age upon discharge from a local county juvenile facility or Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation facility, or from probation or parole.   The California Youthful Offender Reentry competitive grant program shall be administered by the California Emergency Management Agency and shall remain in effect. The program shall   provide grants to eligible nonprofit organizations. Nothing in this section shall mandate funding for this program.  In addition to funds appropriated for the purposes of this title, the agency may accept private contributions to fund grants authorized by this title. (b) Priority for grants shall be given to programs that have existed for at least one year prior to the effective date of this title and to those eligible community programs that have operated at any time in the three years prior to the effective date of this title. (c) Participation in the programs by youthful offenders is voluntary. Participating offenders shall be enrolled by grantees no later than 72 hours after discharge, subject to approval by the grantee. (d) Priority for enrollment shall be given to eligible youths who the custodial entity determined to be gang affiliated, or who have a family member who has been identified as gang affiliated. 3476.  (a)   For purposes of this section, an "eligible  community   nonprofit  program" means, at a minimum, a program that provides all of the following:  (1)   (a)  Integrated education and job training  ser the participants' time spent in classroom-based instruction, counseling, and leadership development instruction, and 50 percent of the participants' time spent in experiential job training   , services, and activities on an equally divided basis, with 50 percent of the participants' time spent in classroom-based instruction, counseling, and leadership development instruction, and 50 percent of the participants' time spent in experiential job training  .  (A)   (1)  The education component described in  paragraph (1)   this subdivision  shall include basic skills, instruction, secondary education services, and other activities designed to lead to the attainment of a high school diploma or its equivalent. The curriculum for this component shall include math, language arts, vocational education, life skills training, social studies related to the cultural and community history of participants, and leadership skills.  (B)   (2)  Bilingual services shall be available for individuals with limited English proficiency and an English learning curriculum shall be provided where feasible and appropriate.  (C)   (3)  A program shall have a goal of a minimum teacher-to-student ratio of one teacher for every 18 students.  (D)   (4)  The job training component described in  paragraph (1)   this subdivision  shall involve work experience and skills training apprenticeships related to construction and rehabilitation activities as described in  paragraph (4)   subdivision (d)  .  (2)   (b)  Assistance in attaining postsecondary education and in obtaining financial aid shall be made available to participants prior to graduation from the program.  (3)   (c)  Counseling services designed to assist participants in positively participating in society, including all of the following, as necessary:  (A)  (1)  Outreach, assessment, and orientation.  (B)   (2)  Individual and peer counseling.  (C)   (3)  Life skills training.  (D)   (4)  Drug and alcohol abuse education and prevention.  (E)   (5)  Referral to appropriate drug rehabilitation, medical, mental health, legal, housing, and other community services and resources. A program shall have a goal of a minimum ratio of one counselor for every 28 participants.  (4)   (d)  Acquisition, rehabilitation, or construction of housing  ,  and related facilities to be used for the purpose of providing home ownership for disadvantaged persons, residential housing for homeless individuals and very low income families, or transitional housing for persons who are homeless, ill, deinstitutionalized, or who have disabilities or special needs.  (5)   (e)  Leadership development training that provides participants with meaningful opportunities to develop leadership skills, including decisionmaking, problem solving, and negotiating. A program shall encourage participants to develop strong peer group ties that support their mutual pursuit of skills and values.  (b) The California Emergency Management Agency shall maintain statistical information on the success of this program, including, but not limited to, the number of eligible youths served and the rate of return to custody for those eligible youths who enroll and participate in an eligible community program. This information shall be provided to the Legislature upon request. 3477. This title shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2018, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2018, deletes or extends that date.