Letter Requesting Funding to Implement Prop 36
RE: Proposition 36 Implementation Funding
Dear Pro Tem McGuire:
In advance of the release of the Governor’s May Revise, we understand that the State likely will face a significant budget deficit. Collectively, we will need to carefully weigh our decisions to ensure that we cause the least harm to Californians and protect core investments that serve our constituents.
As we move forward, we believe that even in a constrained budget environment, we must meaningfully provide funding to faithfully implement Proposition 36. Voters overwhelmingly passed Proposition 36, making its successful implementation a mandate for each of us. Our local governments, specifically counties, face many of the same stark realities in their budgets that the State now faces. Even in better budget times, local behavioral health departments could not properly implement the new mandates of Proposition 36 absent new funding. As the LAO noted recently, “The behavioral health needs of Californians are not being met.” Proposition 36 creates an additional caseload in an already strained system.
Successful implementation requires adequate funding to be provided to our courts, local probation departments, and local behavioral health departments. Courts need proper funding to address the increase in cases. Probation funding ensures that cases are properly assessed throughout the trial process and that these cases are properly supervised with regular updates to the court. Probation ensures individuals comply with court-ordered conditions and treatment, thereby reducing recidivism and improving long-term public safety. We will need to front-load some of the behavioral health costs, but have reason to believe many of their caseload increases will ultimately be reimbursed by Medi-Cal.
However, the complexity of the cases (that will impact placement and supervision) is yet to be fully understood. Luckily, any new investments to implement Proposition 36 will build upon local infrastructure that already exists.
We also request one-time funding for the previously funded Organized Retail Crime Taskforce grants to provide a two-pronged approach to dissuade organized retail crimes until the provisions related to retail crime in Proposition 36 are fully implemented.
We need to get this right. We hope that if the May Revise does not include funding for Proposition 36, then we must insist on its inclusion.
Sincerely,
Senator Thomas J. Umberg
34th District
Senator Catherine Blakespear
38th District
Senator Ana Caballero
14th District
Senator Melissa Hurtado
16th District
Senator Roger Niello
6th District
Senator Susan Rubio
22nd District
Senator Kelly Seyarto
32nd District