Existing law establishes the California Gang, Crime, and Violence Prevention Partnership Program to provide funds to community-based organizations and nonprofit agencies that prevent or deter at-risk youth from participating in gangs, as specified.

This bill would make technical, nonsubstantive changes to those provisions.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Senator Anthony Portantino, Chair

2023 - 2024 Regular Session

SB 266 (Newman) - Public safety collaborative

Bill Summary:

SB 266 would create the Public Safety Collaborative Fund in the State Treasury under the administration from the Board of State and Community Correction (BSCC) and it would require the board, upon appropriation, to allocate funds to regional collaboratives established for violence prevention, intervention, and suppression activities.

Fiscal Impact:

Unknown cost pressures likely in the millions to tens of millions (General Fund). In order to implement, this bill will likely require a significant General Fund appropriation. For illustrative purposes, a similar bill from last year (SB 1418, Newman) initially sought a $16 million dollar appropriation to support public safety collaboratives. The BSCC is likely to require 5% of any general fund appropriation for administration costs.

Background:

The North Orange Public Safety Task Force was established in 2017-2018 Budget Act by AB 97 (Ting) which was appropriated $20 million to the Board of State and Community Corrections equally over a four-year period. The Task Force initially included six cities but later expanded to 11 cities. The legislation mandates a coordinating and advisory council to prioritize the use of the funds. Membership includes city officials, local law enforcement, local educational agencies, local community-based organizations, and local residents. Funds were used for the purpose of violence prevention, intervention, and suppression activities. Specially, the appropriated funds were to be used for a range of programs, services, and activities designed to reduce violence including programs to address youth violence prevention and intervention in K-12 schools, programs to promote and enhance the successful reentry of offenders into the community, and programs to address homeless outreach and intervention efforts. 60 percent of the funds were required to be allocated to community-based organizations.

The advisory council is made up of representative of Anaheim, Brea, Buena Park, Cypress, Fullerton, La Habra, La Palma, Orange, Placentia, Stanton, and Yorba Linda. Funded organizations include The YMCA, Boys and Girls Clubs, Anaheim Cops 4 Kids, Waymakers, Pathways of Hope, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County, and Homeless Intervention Services of Orange County, among others.

With respect to the Task Force’s latest 2020 Annual Report details the types of programs that were funded during the 2019-2020 fiscal year with five million dollars awarded o 49 community-based organization. The report includes details including that during the first three quarters of the fiscal year, 2,854 participants graduated from one of the homeless programs, some 1,200 individuals were placed in shelters, 131 individuals were reunited with family members and moved back in with them, 79 individuals placed in permanent supportive housing, 86 individuals gained part-time employment, and 147 individuals gained full-time employment. With reentry programs, the task force funded six programs that primarily offered mentoring, case management, life skills coaching/groups and skills training. During the same three quarters, an average of 463 individuals attended reentry programs on a daily basis, and 114 individuals in funded programs found either part-time or full-time employment. And with youth violence prevention and intervention programs, 33 of the 49 funded programs were funded towards these services. Services provided include programs in mentoring, classes, outreach, individual and group counseling, supportive services, recreational activities, and family activities. The report indicates that in the first three quarters of the third year, funded programs accepted a total of 13,961 new participants, approximately 6,957 individuals were served daily, and 3,605 participants graduated from or completed one of the programs.

As of 2021, the task force was renamed to the North Orange County Public Safety Collaborative. Despite the four-year funding period mandated by AB 97 (Ting) ending, local, state, and federal representatives have obtained additional funding to finance existing programs and develop future partnerships. This bill seeks to replicate the North Orange County Public Safety Collaborative model across the state by authorizing the Board of State and Community Corrections to distribute appropriated legislative funds to regional collaboratives.

The author has recognized several programs established under the North Orange County Collaborative funding :

• The county’s first Homeless Census Report by generating a by name registry of unsheltered individuals. As of April 2021, the Collaborative has seen 3,962 individuals exit the streets and enter secure housing in the region.
• The creation of a mobile app for coordinated entry system coupled with bed shelter reservation and early prevention.
• Provided housing and supportive services to formerly incarcerated university students through the Project Rebound Initiative. 91% of individuals in the program achieved career path placements within one year that saw recidivism at zero.
• Funded 33 targeted programs for youth that include family counseling, supportive services, tutoring, group and individual counseling, classes, and mentoring programs.
• Created a mobile data management and referral tool called Outreach Grid, which provides North Orange County outreach staff, law enforcement officers, and community-based organizations with real-time capabilities to assess needs and make referrals for services, including instantly identifying available shelter beds for unhoused individuals and families.
• Directed funding to shelters and housing navigation centers including the Fullerton HOPE Center, a regional hub for effectively coordinating homeless services

This bill seeks to create the Public Safety Collaborative Fund to distribute funds to collaboratives, like the North Orange County Public Safety Task Force, for the purpose of violence prevention, intervention, and suppression. The above programs are examples of collaborative achievements and efforts that may be replicated.

Proposed Law:

• Establishes in the State Treasury the Public Safety Collaborative Fund.
• Provides that funds shall be available upon appropriation by the Legislature for the purposes of this section.
• Provides that the Board of state and Community Corrections shall administer public safety collaborative grants from the fund to regional public safety collaboratives established for violence prevention, intervention, and suppression activities.
• Provides that preference in Public Safety Collaborative Fund distributions shall be given to existing collaboratives, including, but not limited to, the North Orange County Public Safety Collaborative.
• Requires the board to establish minimum requirements, funding criteria, and procedures for awarding grants.
• Provides that public safety collaborative grant funds may be utilized for a range of programs, services, and activities designed to reduce violence, and may include the following:
  • Programs to address youth violence prevention and intervention in K-12 schools.
  • Programs to promote and enhance the successful reentry of offenders into the community.
  • Programs to address homeless outreach and intervention efforts.
• Provides that a collaborative that applies for a public safety collaborative grant shall establish a coordinating and advisory board to prioritize the use of the funds.
• Provides that membership shall include city officials, local law enforcement, and local stakeholders.
• Provides that a collaborative shall distribute at least 60 percent of the funds to one or more community-based organizations to assist with violence prevention, intervention, and suppression activities.
• Requires a public safety collaborative to report annually to the BSCC by June 30 of each year on how granted funds are being used and any relevant findings on the overall effectiveness of the collaborative.
• Requires the BSCC to report annually to the Governor and Legislature by December 31.

Related Legislation:

SB 1418 (Newman, 2022) would have created the Public Safety Collaborative Fund (PSCF) to be administered by the Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) to regional public safety collaboratives established for the purpose of violence prevention, intervention, and suppression activities, including the North Orange County Public Safety Collaborative. SB 1418 was held on the Assembly Appropriations Suspense File.

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SENATE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY

Senator Aisha Wahab, Chair

2023 - 2024 Regular

Bill No: SB 266 Hearing Date: April 25, 2023

Subject: Public safety collaborative

HISTORY

Source: Author

Prior Legislation: AB 97 (Ting), Ch. 14, Stats. 2017

SB 1418 (Newman), 2022, failed Senate Appropriations

Support: Peace Officers Research Association of California (PORAC)

Opposition: None known

PURPOSE

The purpose of this bill is to create the Public Safety Collaborative Fund under the administration from the Board of State and Community Correction. This bill requires the board to allocate funds to regional collaboratives established for violence prevention, intervention, and suppression activities.

Existing law establishes the Board of State and Community Corrections that shall be an entity independent of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. (Pen. Code § 6024, subd. (a).)

Existing law grants the Governor the authority to appoint an executive officer of the board, subject to Senate confirmation, who shall hold the office at the pleasure of the Governor (Pen. Code § 6024, subd. (a).)

Existing law states that the executive officer shall be the administrative head of the board and shall exercise all duties and functions necessary to ensure that the responsibilities of the board are successfully discharged. (Pen. Code § 6024, subd. (a).)

Existing law states the mission of the board shall include providing statewide leadership, coordination, and technical assistance to promote effective state and local efforts and partnerships in California’s adult and juvenile criminal justice system, including addressing gang problems. (Pen. Code § 6024, subd. (b).)

Existing law states that the mission shall reflect the principle of aligning fiscal policy and correctional practices, including, but not limited to prevention, intervention, suppression, supervision, and incapacitation, to promote a justice investment strategy that fits each county and is consistent with the integrated statewide goal of improved public safety through cost-effective, promising, and evidence-based strategies for managing criminal justice populations. (Pen. Code § 6024, subd. (b).)

Existing law mandates that the board shall regularly seek advice from a balanced range of stakeholders and subject matter experts on issues pertaining to adult corrections, juvenile justice, and gang problems relevant to its mission. (Pen. Code § 6024, subd. (c).)

Existing law states that the board shall seek to ensure the following:

1. Its efforts are systematically informed by experts and stakeholders with the most specific knowledge concerning the subject matter.
2. Include the participation of those who must implement a board decision and are impacted by a board decision.
3. And promote collaboration and innovative problem solving consistent with the mission of the board. The board may create special committees, with the authority to establish working subgroups as necessary, in furtherance of this subdivision to carry out specified tasks and to submit its findings and recommendations from that effort to the board. (Pen. Code § 6024, subd. (c).)

Existing law provides that the board shall act as the supervisory board of the state planning agency pursuant to federal acts. (Pen. Code § 6024, subd. (d).)

Existing law states that the board shall annually review and approve, or review, revise, and approve, the comprehensive state plan for the improvement of criminal justice and delinquency and gang prevention activities throughout the state, shall establish priorities for the use of funds as are available pursuant to federal acts, and shall approve the expenditure of all funds pursuant to such plans or federal acts, provided that the approval of those expenditures may be granted to single projects or to groups of projects. (Pen. Code § 6024, subd. (d).)

Existing law states that it the intent of the Legislature that any statutory authority conferred on the Corrections Standards Authority or the previously abolished Board of Corrections shall apply to the Board of State and Community Corrections on and after July 1, 2012, unless expressly repealed by the act which added this section. (Pen. Code § 6024, subd. (e).)

Existing law provides that the Board of State and Community Corrections shall identify and evaluate state, local, and federal gang and youth violence suppression, intervention, and prevention programs and strategies, along with funding for those efforts. (Pen. Code § 6027, subd. (a)(10).)

Existing law states that the Board of State and Community Corrections shall form an executive steering committee that includes, but is not limited to, a balanced and diverse membership from relevant state and local government entities, community-based treatment and service providers, and the formerly incarcerated community. (Pen. Code § 6046.3, subd. (b).)

This bill establishes in the State Treasury the Public Safety Collaborative Fund.

This bill states that funds shall be available upon appropriation by the Legislature for the purposes of this section.

This bill provides that the Board of state and Community Corrections shall administer public safety collaborative grants from the fund to regional public safety collaboratives established for violence prevention, intervention, and suppression activities.

This bill states that preference in Public Safety Collaborative Fund distributions shall be given to existing collaboratives, including, but not limited to, the North Orange County Public Safety Collaborative.

This bill requires the board to establish minimum requirements, funding criteria, and procedures for awarding grants.

This bill states that public safety collaborative grant funds may be utilized for a range of programs, services, and activities designed to reduce violence, and may include the following:

• Programs to address youth violence prevention and intervention in K-12 schools.
• Programs to promote and enhance the successful reentry of offenders into the community.
• Programs to address homeless outreach and intervention efforts.

This bill states that a collaborative that applies for a public safety collaborative grant shall establish a coordinating and advisory board to prioritize the use of the funds.

This bill states that membership shall include city officials, local law enforcement, and local stakeholders.

This bill provides that a collaborative shall distribute at least 60 percent of the funds to one or more community-based organizations to assist with violence prevention, intervention, and suppression activities.

This bill requires a public safety collaborative to report annually to the Board of State and Community Corrections by June 30 of each year on how granted funds are being used and any relevant findings on the overall effectiveness of the collaborative.

This bill requires the Board of State and Community Corrections to report annually to the Governor and Legislature by December 31.

This bill requires the reports to be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.

COMMENTS

1. Need for This Bill

The author states:

SB 1418 codifies the successful North Orange County Public Safety Collaborative. By virtue of this deliberately multi-dimensional approach, the Collaborative has become a laboratory for innovative and focused action throughout the eleven-member cities. Community-based organizations and law enforcement have stopped working in silos and instead are working in coordination to help individuals in the region. The Collaborative has proven itself as an innovative, regional model for improving public safety that could be replicated in clusters of small and medium-sized cities across California.

2. North Orange County Public Safety Collaborative

The North Orange Public Safety Task Force was established in 2017-2018 Budget Act by AB 97 (Ting) which was appropriated $20 million to the Board of State and Community Corrections equally over a four-year period. The Task Force initially included six cities but later expanded to 11 cities. The legislation mandates a coordinating and advisory council to prioritize the use of the funds. Membership includes city officials, local law enforcement, local educational agencies, local community-based organizations, and local residents. Funds were used for the purpose of violence prevention, intervention, and suppression activities. Specially, the appropriated funds were to be used for a range of programs, services, and activities designed to reduce violence including programs to address youth violence prevention and intervention in K-12 schools, programs to promote and enhance the successful reentry of offenders into the community, and programs to address homeless outreach and intervention efforts. 60 percent of the funds were required to be allocated to community-based organizations.

The advisory council is made up of representative of Anaheim, Brea, Buena Park, Cypress, Fullerton, La Habra, La Palma, Orange, Placentia, Stanton, and Yorba Linda. Funded organizations include The YMCA, Boys and Girls Clubs, Anaheim Cops 4 Kids, Waymakers, Pathways of Hope, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County, and Homeless Intervention Services of Orange County, among others.

With respect to the Task Force’s latest 2020 Annual Report details the types of programs that were funded during the 2019-2020 fiscal year^[1] with five million dollars awarded o 49 community-based organization. The report includes details including that during the first three quarters of the fiscal year, 2,854 participants graduated from one of the homeless programs, some 1,200 individuals were placed in shelters, 131 individuals were reunited with family members and moved back in with them, 79 individuals placed in permanent supportive housing, 86 individuals gained part-time employment, and 147 individuals gained full-time employment. With reentry programs, the task force funded six programs that primarily offered mentoring, case management, life skills coaching/groups and skills training. During the same three quarters, an average of 463 individuals attended reentry programs on a daily basis, and 114 individuals in funded programs found either part-time or full-time employment. And with youth violence prevention and intervention programs, 33 of the 49 funded programs were funded towards these services. Services provided include programs in mentoring, classes, outreach, individual and group counseling, supportive services, recreational activities, and family activities. The report indicates that in the first three quarters of the third year, funded programs accepted a total of 13,961 new participants, approximately 6,957 individuals were served daily, and 3,605 participants graduated from or completed one of the programs.

As of 2021, the task force was renamed to the North Orange County Public Safety Collaborative.

Despite the four-year funding period mandated by AB 97 (Ting) ending, local, state, and federal representatives have obtained additional funding to finance existing programs and develop future partnerships.

This bill seeks to replicate the North Orange County Public Safety Collaborative model across the state by authorizing the Board of State and Community Corrections to distribute appropriated legislative funds to regional collaboratives.

3. Collaborative Programs

The author has recognized several programs established under the North Orange County Collaborative funding^[2]:

• The county’s first Homeless Census Report by generating a by name registry of unsheltered individuals. As of April 2021, the Collaborative has seen 3,962 individuals exit the streets and enter secure housing in the region.
• The creation of a mobile app for coordinated entry system coupled with bed shelter reservation and early prevention.
• Provided housing and supportive services to formerly incarcerated university students through the Project Rebound Initiative. 91% of individuals in the program achieved career path placements within one year that saw recidivism at zero.
• Funded 33 targeted programs for youth that include family counseling, supportive services, tutoring, group and individual counseling, classes, and mentoring programs.
• Created a mobile data management and referral tool called Outreach Grid, which provides North Orange County outreach staff, law enforcement officers, and community-based organizations with real-time capabilities to assess needs and make referrals for services, including instantly identifying available shelter beds for unhoused individuals and families.
• Directed funding to shelters and housing navigation centers including the Fullerton HOPE Center, a regional hub for effectively coordinating homeless services^[3]

This bill seeks to create the Public Safety Collaborative Fund to distribute funds to collaboratives, like the North Orange County Public Safety Task Force, for the purpose of violence prevention, intervention, and suppression. The above programs are examples of collaborative achievements and efforts that may be replicated.

4. Argument in Support

According to the Peace Officers Research Association of California (PORAC):

SB 266 would create the Public Safety Collaborative Fund in the State Treasury. The bill would require the board, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to administer public safety collaborative grants from the fund to regional public safety collaboratives established for violence prevention, intervention, and suppression activities. The bill would require a collaborative applying for a grant to establish a coordinating and advisory board with membership, including city officials, local law enforcement, and local stakeholders, to prioritize the use of the funds. The bill would authorize grant funds to be utilized for a range of programs, services, and activities designed to reduce violence, including programs to address youth violence prevention and intervention in K–12 schools and homeless outreach and intervention efforts. The bill would require a public safety collaborative to distribute at least 60% of the funds to one or more community-based organizations to assist with violence prevention, intervention, and suppression activities.

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1. “3^rd Annual report to the Legislature – August 2020,” accessed March 22, 2023, https://www.nocpublicsafety.com/_files/ugd/914d32_9f7bc72343494c2fbc50a5c7528d63e3.pdf ↑

2. “Policies, Procedures and Standards Committee – August 10, 2021,” accessed April 17, 2023, https://ceo.ocgov.com/sites/ceo/files/2022-08/8.10.21%20PPS%20Combined%20Presentations.pdf ↑

3. “Project HOPE Envisions Collaborative Response to Homelessness,” accessed April 17, 2023, https://fullertonobserver.com/2021/02/04/project-hope-envisions-collaborative-response-to-homelessness/ ↑