Bill Text: CA AJR17 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Chaptered
Bill Title: Law enforcement: federal funding.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 41-19)
Status: (Passed) 2011-09-28 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Res. Chapter 124, Statutes of 2011. [AJR17 Detail]
Download: California-2011-AJR17-Chaptered.html
BILL NUMBER: AJR 17 CHAPTERED BILL TEXT RESOLUTION CHAPTER 124 FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE SEPTEMBER 28, 2011 APPROVED BY GOVERNOR SEPTEMBER 28, 2011 ADOPTED IN SENATE SEPTEMBER 10, 2011 ADOPTED IN ASSEMBLY SEPTEMBER 8, 2011 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY SEPTEMBER 8, 2011 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Solorio (Coauthors: Assembly Members Achadjian, Allen, Ammiano, Beall, Bill Berryhill, Blumenfield, Bradford, Brownley, Butler, Charles Calderon, Campos, Carter, Chesbro, Dickinson, Donnelly, Eng, Feuer, Fong, Fuentes, Furutani, Beth Gaines, Galgiani, Garrick, Gatto, Gordon, Grove, Hagman, Halderman, Hall, Harkey, Roger Hernández, Hill, Hueso, Jeffries, Jones, Knight, Lara, Logue, Bonnie Lowenthal, Ma, Mansoor, Mendoza, Miller, Morrell, Nestande, Pan, Perea, John A. Pérez, V. Manuel Pérez, Portantino, Silva, Skinner, Swanson, Torres, Valadao, Wagner, Wieckowski, Williams, and Yamada) AUGUST 30, 2011 Relative to law enforcement programs. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AJR 17, Solorio. Law enforcement: federal funding. This measure would urge Congress and the President of the United States to increase funding for specified law enforcement and crime prevention programs and to pay the full costs of incarcerating undocumented criminals, as provided. WHEREAS, The federal government provides leadership and services in funding administration and criminal justice policy development to support the State of California to achieve safer communities; and WHEREAS, The United States Department of Justice, through the federal Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) which is a component of the Office of Justice Programs, administers various law enforcement program initiatives; and WHEREAS, BJA provides support for law enforcement, courts, corrections, treatment, victim services, technology, and prevention initiatives that strengthen the nation's criminal justice system; and WHEREAS, It is recognized that most of the responsibility for crime control and prevention falls to law enforcement officers in states, cities, and neighborhoods and the federal government can be effective in these areas only to the extent that it can enter into partnerships with these officers in the State of California; and WHEREAS, Various law enforcement program initiatives such as the federal Bulletproof Vest Partnership Program, the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program, the Southwest Border Prosecution Initiative, and the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program are carried out in partnership with local law enforcement officers; and WHEREAS, The State of California recognizes that these programs have resulted in major innovations in crime prevention, including drug courts, gang prevention strategies, and prisoner reentry programs; and WHEREAS, The federal State Criminal Alien Assistance Program was created in 1994 for the purpose of reimbursing states for the costs of incarcerating undocumented criminals; and WHEREAS, Federal law provides that the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program provide federal payments to states and localities that incur costs for incarcerating undocumented criminals; and WHEREAS, There are almost 17,000 self-reported undocumented criminals in the California prison system; and WHEREAS, In the 2009-10 fiscal year, the cost per incarcerated individual in California was $52,363 each year; and WHEREAS, In the 2009-10 fiscal year, it cost the State of California over $885 million to house these undocumented criminals; and WHEREAS, In the 2009-10 fiscal year, the State of California was reimbursed from the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program in an amount equal to only 11 cents for every dollar spent to house these undocumented criminals; and WHEREAS, Budget cuts for public funding for law enforcement programs at both the national and state level may have a devastating effect on the viability of crime prevention programs; and WHEREAS, At a time when adverse economic conditions may lead to increased crime, it is important that the federal government increase funding to support our law enforcement officers, who risk their lives daily to keep Americans safe; now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Assembly and the Senate of the State of California, jointly, That the Legislature respectfully urges Congress and the President of the United States to increase funding for these law enforcement and crime prevention programs and to pay the full costs of incarcerating undocumented criminals; and be it further Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the President and Vice President of the United States, to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, to the Majority Leader of the Senate, and to each Senator and Representative from California in the Congress of the United States.