Prisoners: California Reentry Commission.

Existing law requires the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to establish parole reentry and assessment programs for inmates in state prison, in order to assess the inmate prior to release and to assist with the inmate's reentry into the community while on parole. Existing law establishes the California Reentry and Enrichment Grant Program to provide grants to community-based programs that provide rehabilitative services to incarcerated individuals. This bill would, subject to an appropriation by the Legislature for these purposes, establish the California Reentry Commission within the department, to be cochaired by the Secretary of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and a formerly incarcerated individual to be appointed to the commission by the Governor. The bill would specify the members of the commission and require the commission to meet once every 2 months. The bill would require the commission to prepare and develop a new health and safety agenda for those returning home from prison or jail, coordinate with the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and the Board of State and Community Corrections to develop a grant program to provide grants to reentry service providers, conduct a review of reentry barriers, review current state criminal justice policies, and report to the Legislature on the impact of COVID-19 on the reentry population, among other duties.