The Commission supported 13 bills that would implement its recommendations and evaluated three reorganization plans during the 2005-06 Legislative Session. The Commission only takes positions on legislation that would implement its recommendations. The measures that the Commission has supported during the 2005-06 Legislative Session are in the areas of CALFED, children’s services, mental health, parole and prisons, public health and Governor’s Reorganization plans. Of those 13 bills, four were signed into law , four were vetoed by the Governor and five failed to pass.
CALFED
AB 1244 (Wolk) California Water Commission: CALFED Bay-Delta Program.
Summary: Reforms CALFED governance. Specifically, repeals the state act and enacts the CALFED Bay-Delta Program Reform Act to revise and recast the management of the existing program on behalf of the bay-delta; establishes a CALFED Bay-Delta Executive Management Team; and, establishes a Bay-Delta Public Advisory Committee. This bill relates to the Commission’s 2005 report, Still Imperiled, Still Important: The Little Hoover Commission’s Review of the CALFED Bay-Delta Program.
Support Letter
Final Action: From committee chair, with author’s amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on N.R. & W.
Children’s Services
AB 392 (Chan)
Summary: Expands authority to all California counties for the development and implementation of a program for integrated health and human services. This bill relates to the Commission’s 2004 report, Real Lives, Real Reforms: Improving Health and Human Services. This bill relates to the Commission’s 2004 report, Real Lives, Real Reforms: Improving Health and Human Services.
Support Letter
Final Action: Withdrawn from committee. Ordered placed on third reading file. Re-refer to Com. on RLS. pursuant to Senate Rule 29.10. Re-refer to Com. on NAT. RES. pursuant to Senate Rule 29.10. In committee: Set, first hearing. Failed passage in Committee. Reconsideration granted.
AB 2216 (Bass) Child Welfare Leadership and Performance Accountability Act of 2006.
Summary: Creates a Child Welfare and Foster Care Undersecretary and the Child Welfare Council to improve outcomes for foster youth. This bill relates to the Commission’s 2003 report, Still In Our Hands: A Review of Efforts to Reform Foster Care in California.
Support Letter
Final Action: Chaptered by Secretary of State – Chapter 384, Statutes of 2006.
Mental Health
SB 1356 (Lowenthal) Suicide prevention.
Summary: Requires the Department of Mental Health to implement a statewide suicide prevention plan. This bill relates to the Commission’s 2000 report, Being There: Making a Commitment to Mental Health.
Support Letter
Final Action: Vetoed by Governor.
Parole and Prisons
AB 658 (Liu) Women inmates.
Summary: Develops a pilot program that creates expanded incarceration options for non-violent women offenders; requires CDC to appoint a deputy director of women’s programs. This bill relates to the Commission’s 2004 report, Breaking the Barriers for Women on Parole.
Support Letter
Final Action: From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56. Died pursuant to Art. IV, Sec. 10(c) of the Constitution.
AB 855 (Bass) CalWORKs.
Summary: Establishes eligibility for CalWORKs cash assistance and services for persons convicted of non-violent drug-related felonies. This bill relates to the Commission’s 2004 report, Breaking the Barriers for Women on Parole.
Support Letter
Final Action: Vetoed by Governor.
AB 2066 (Lieber) Corrections: female inmates.
Summary: Requires the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to develop a master plan that includes policies and procedures to address the unique gender-based issues that exist for female offenders. This bill relates to the Commission’s 2004 report, Breaking the Barriers for Women on Parole.
Support Letter
Final Action: From committee chair, with author’s amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on APPR.
AB 2192 (Bass) CalWORKs.
Summary: Establishes eligibility for CalWORKs cash assistance and services for persons convicted of non-violent drug-related felonies. (Same language as AB 855). This bill relates to the Commission’s 2004 report, Breaking the Barriers for Women on Parole.
Support Letter
Final Action: Vetoed by Governor.
SB 366 (Kuehl) Department of Corrections: offenders’ families: female offenders.
Summary: States legislative intent to develop a correctional strategy to address the unique gender-based issues that exist for female offenders. This bill relates to the Commission’s 2004 report, Breaking the Barriers for Women on Parole.
Support Letter
Final Action: Returned to Secretary of Senate pursuant to Joint Rule 56.
Public Health
AB 1956 (S. Horton) Communicable diseases: reporting.
Summary: Establishes a pilot program using a real-time surveillance system for reporting to the Department of Health Services the emergence of communicable diseases. This bill relates to the Commission’s 2003 report, To Protect & Prevent: Rebuilding California’s Public Health System, and its 2005 follow-up report, Recommendations for Emergency Preparedness and Public Health.
Support Letter
Final Action: Vetoed by Governor.
SB 162 (Ortiz) State Department of Public Health.
Summary: Establishes a Department of Public Health, directed by a physician health officer, and advised by a public health board. This bill relates to the Commission’s 2002 report, Be Prepared: Getting Ready for New and Uncertain Dangers, and its 2003 report, To Protect & Prevent: Rebuilding California’s Public Health System.
Support Letter
Final Action: Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 241, Statutes of 2006.
Governor’s Reorganization Plan
Reconstructing Government: A Review of the Governor’s Reorganization Plan Reforming California’s Youth & Adult Correctional Agency
(Report #179, February 2005)
GRP No. 1 Proposed by: Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Objective: Transform the Youth and Adult Correctional Agency (YACA) and its related departments, board and one commission, into a new cabinet level agency, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR).
Commission recommendation: Allow plan to take effect, included 6 recommendations to further improve the correctional system.
Legislative action: Plan went into effect.
SB 737 (Romero) Corrections.
Summary: Codifies GRP 1 to reorganize the Youth and Adult Correctional Agency.
Support Letter
Final Action: Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 10, Statutes of 2005.
Reconstructing Government: A Review of the Governor’s Reorganzation Plan to Create a Department of Technology Services
(Report #180, May 2005)
GRP No. 2 Proposed by: Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Objective: Consolidate the state’s two general purpose data centers and its telecommunications unit into a new Department of Technology Services.
Commission recommendation: Allow plan to take effect.
Legislative action: Plan went into effect.
AB 53 (McLeod)
Summary: Codifies GRP 2 to consolidate the Stephen P. Teale and Health and Human Services Agency data centers and create a Department of Technology Services.
Support Letter
Final Action: Measure substantially amended 1/4/06 and addresses another issue.
A Review of the Governor’s Reorganization Plan to Create a Department of Energy
(Report #182, June 2005)
GRP No. 3 Proposed by: Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Objective: Establish a Department of Energy through the consolidation of the functions of several departments, commissions and offices that implement state energy programs.
Commission recommendation: Reject.
Legislative action: Rejected.