California Senate Bill SB1121 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: SB 1121AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 9, 2012 INTRODUCED BY Senator Hancock FEBRUARY 17, 2012 An act to  amend   add  Section  3020 of   3021 to  the Penal Code, relating to inmates. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 1121, as amended, Hancock. Inmates: assessments. Existing law requires the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to conduct assessments of all inmates that include, but are not limited to, data regarding the inmate's history of substance abuse, medical and mental health, education, family background, criminal activity, and social functioning. Existing law requires these assessments to be used to place inmates in programs that will aid reentry to society and will most likely reduce the inmate's chances of reoffending. This bill would require  that   the presence of a  credentialed  teachers, with input from the staff of the institution that has custody of the inmate, use these assessments to assign to, place within, or remove from academic or vocational educational programs operated by the department an inmate who does not have a high school diploma or a GED, who lacks vocational skills, or whose assessments indicate that he or she has identified academic deficits. The bill would also require that placement and assignment efforts permit the dual placement of an inmate in work assignments and in academic or vocational programs   teacher, vice principal, or principal at all meetings relating to academic or vocational education program placement of an inmate, as specified, and would make attendance at those meetings part of the assigned duties of a credentialed teacher, vice principal, or principal who is employed by the department and who assigns inmates to those programs  . 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.   Section 3021 is added to the   Penal Code   , to read:   3021. (a) A credentialed teacher, vice principal, or principal shall be present at all meetings relating to the academic or vocational education program placement of an inmate pursuant to Section 3375 of Title 15 of the California Code of Regulations. (b) Attendance at these meetings shall be made part of the assigned duties of a credentialed teacher, vice principal, or principal who is employed by the department and who assigns inmates to programs pursuant to this article.   SECTION 1.   Section 3020 of the Penal Code is amended to read: 3020. The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation shall conduct assessments of all inmates that include, but are not limited to, data regarding the inmate's history of substance abuse, medical and mental health, education, family background, criminal activity, and social functioning. The assessments shall be used to place an inmate in programs that will aid in his or her reentry to society and that will most likely reduce the inmate's chances of reoffending. Credentialed teachers, with input from the staff of the institution that has custody of the inmate, shall use these assessments to assign to, place within, or remove from academic or vocational educational programs operated by the department an inmate who does not have a high school diploma or a GED, who lacks vocational skills, or who whose assessments indicate that he or she has identified academic deficits. Placement and assignment efforts shall permit the dual placement of an inmate in work assignments and in academic or vocational programs.