COMMITTEE ON MILITARY AFFAIRS & PUBLIC SAFETY
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AMENDMENTS TO S.B. 1608
(Reference to Senate engrossed bill)
Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert:
"Section 1. Section 31-284, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
31-284. Transition program fund
A. The transition program fund is established consisting of the monies collected pursuant to section 31-254, subsection D, paragraph 3 and subsection E, paragraph 3 and section 31-285, subsection C. The department shall administer the fund to pay for any costs related to the administration of the transition program and for transition program services. Monies in the fund are subject to legislative appropriation and are exempt from the provisions of section 35-190 relating to lapsing of appropriations.
B. On June 30 of each year, any remaining unexpended and UNENCUMBERED monies in the transition program fund of more than $3,000,000 shall be transferred to the Transitional Housing fund established by section 41-1610.03.
Sec. 2. Title 41, chapter 11, article 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 41-1610.03, to read:
41-1610.03. Transitional service grants; transitional housing fund; exemption; report
A. The department shall establish a program to provide grants to nonprofit organizations that support INDIVIDUALS who are incarcerated by helping prepare them for release and transition back into the community. To be eligible for a grant, a nonprofit organization must meet all of the following criteria:
1. Have a verifiable record of mentoring at least three thousand inmates while the inmates were in prison for at least a two-year period.
2. Use the grant monies for individuals that have been previously mentored by the nonprofit organization. To receive resources from the grant, INDIVIDUALS being released from prison must have been mentored for at least three months by the nonprofit organization while the individual was in prison.
3. Demonstrate that the nonprofit organization can provide individuals being released from prison with all of the following:
(a) Up to two weeks of housing at no cost to the INDIVIDUAL, if necessary as assessed by the nonprofit organization, and up to six months of housing at a reduced rate.
(b) Behavioral health services, including peer support and case management.
(c) Assistance with obtaining government-issued documents.
(d) Within four months after release, assistance with securing employment that offers health insurance and assistance with disenrolling from the arizona health care cost containment system.
B. The transitional housing fund is established consisting of monies transferred from the TRANSITION program fund pursuant to section 31-284 and legislative appropriations. Monies in the fund are continuously appropriated. The department shall administer the fund. Monies in the fund are exempt from the provisions of section 35-190 relating to lapsing of appropriations. monies in the fund shall be distributed as grants pursuant to subsection A of this section.
C. on or before August 31, 2024 and each year thereafter, the department shall submit a report to the governor, the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives that includes all of the following for the prior year:
1. The names of the nonprofit organizations that were awarded grants.
2. The number of INDIVIDUALS who were served by the nonprofit organizations through the grant program.
3. The number of individuals who were served by the nonprofit organizations, who found employment that provides health insurance and who were disenrolled from the arizona health care cost containment system.
Sec. 3. Appropriation; transitional housing fund
A. The sum of $10,000,000 is appropriated from the transition program fund established by section 31-284, Arizona Revised Statutes, as amended by this act, in fiscal year 2023-2024 to the transitional housing fund established by section 41-1610.03, Arizona Revised Statutes, as added by this act.
B. The monies pursuant to subsection A of this section shall be transferred on or before December 31, 2023."
Amend title to conform