Sacramento – Assemblymember Chris Holden (D-Pasadena) released the following statement on Governor Brown's May Revise to the state budget which includes language in a trailer bill that is largely due to Assemblymember Holden's AB 1065 - modifying prison realignment:
"I introduced Assembly Bill 1065 this legislative year because of strong concerns with criminal justice realignment. Assembly Bill 1065 requires individuals released from prison that were previously certified as a mentally disordered offender (MDO) to be subject to state parole supervision instead of post-release community supervision by the county.
The Governor's administration has changed course and heard our concerns about the MDO population and the strain it is causing to cities and counties. The Governor has included Assembly Bill 1065 into his budget proposal. Individuals who have been certified as an MDO/MDSO suffer from severe mental disorders and have committed crimes that involved violence or grave bodily injury, and represent a substantial danger of physical harm to themselves and others. This population and our communities are best served when this population is monitored by state parole officers.
I look forward to working with the Governor's administration to ensure the passage of these policies and am thankful for his willingness to revisit these issues to ensure that our communities are safe."