ON APRIL 8, 2024, THE HOUSE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED HOUSE BILL 2865, AS AMENDED.
AMENDMENT #1 rewrites the bill to, instead, make the changes described below to the present law relevant to applications for veterans treatment court program grant funds.
Through the department of mental health and substance abuse services, present law authorizes a court exercising criminal jurisdiction within this state or a veterans treatment court program to apply for veterans treatment court program grant funds, if funds are available, to (i) fund a full-time or part-time program director position; (ii) fund veterans treatment court program staff whose job duties are directly related to program operations; (iii) fund substance abuse treatment, mental health treatment, and other direct services for veterans treatment court program participants; (iv) fund drug testing; (v) fund program costs directly related to program operations; and (vi) implement or continue veterans treatment court program operations.
This amendment revises the present law and, instead, authorizes a court exercising criminal jurisdiction within this state or an existing veterans treatment court program created by a court exercising criminal jurisdiction to apply for veterans treatment court program grant funds. If the department of mental health and substance abuse services determines that the court is able to administer a veterans treatment court program, then the department must award the court grant money to fund a veterans treatment court program. If the department determines that a court is able to administer a veterans treatment court program and grant money is awarded pursuant to this amendment, then the county in which the court operates must provide a courtroom and a judge for the veterans treatment court program and all necessary supplies and equipment for the maintenance of the court, and must defray the expenses thereof from the general fund of the county. Funds allocated pursuant to this amendment may be used for the reasons in (i)-(vi) above.