Assembly Bill 297 aims to establish a performance grant program administered by the Department of Corrections (DOC) to incentivize adult probation and parole offices to improve employment rates for individuals under their supervision. The bill outlines a formula for calculating the eligibility and amount of grants based on the increase in employment rates compared to a baseline established from fiscal years 2021-22, 2022-23, and 2023-24. If a regional office shows a positive difference in employment rates, it can receive a grant equal to that difference multiplied by the number of individuals on probation, parole, or extended supervision in the region, and further multiplied by $2,500. The funds must be used to provide bonuses for employees of the regional office.

Additionally, the bill mandates the DOC to develop and publish outcome-based measures to assess the effectiveness of the performance grants. These measures will include employment rates, recidivism rates, and the success of individuals completing their supervised status. The DOC is also required to prepare annual reports for the legislature detailing the implementation and effectiveness of the grant program, along with recommendations for improvements. The bill emphasizes accountability and transparency by ensuring that the reports are publicly available.