(Sacramento, CA) – Senator Thomas J. Umberg (D-Santa Ana) announced the introduction of his Senate Bill 38 which proposes to make drug and collaborative courts eligible for competitive grants administered by the Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC).

Voters approved of Proposition 47 on the November 2014 ballot which generated savings with its implementation.  Sixty-five percent of these savings are set aside annually for the BSCC to administer a competitive grant program for services related to mental health, substance use treatment, and diversion.  This past November, voters overwhelmingly approved Proposition 36 which, among other things, established a “Treatment Mandated Felony” option for people with two or more prior serious drug convictions. This would allow people with serious addictions to choose drug treatment rather than incarceration as a pathway to recovery and rehabilitation. 

“The voters have spoken loud and clear,” said Senator Umberg, “It’s our job now to make sure that Proposition 36 is given the support it needs to succeed.”

Senator Umberg’s Senate Bill 38, sponsored by the Chief Probation Officers of California (CPOC), would make court, collaborative court programs, and Treatment Mandated Felony programs expressly eligible for the BSCC competitive grant program. Additionally, Senate Bill 38 allows for public entities to apply for this funding, which will help county courts, prosecutors, public defenders, probation departments, and behavioral health programs coordinate as they work to implement Prop 36.

“We know firsthand that highly incentivized drug treatment, when paired with supervision and accountability, delivers effective results,” stated San Joaquin County Probation Chief Steven Jackson, who is also president of CPOC. “We fully support this legislation and applaud Senator Umberg's leadership. It effectively uses existing resources into proven drug treatment programs that enhance both individual rehabilitation and community safety.”

The fact sheet for SB 38 is attached.  The measure is expected to be heard in policy committees sometime in March or April. 

###

Senator Thomas Umberg represents the 34th Senate District which includes the cities of Santa Ana, Anaheim, Long Beach, Fullerton, Orange, La Habra, Placentia, South Whittier, and East Whittie. Umberg is a retired U.S. Army Colonel, and former federal prosecutor. He and his wife, Brigadier General Robin Umberg, USA (ret.), live in Orange County.