SACRAMENTO (April 9, 2015) — To help fulfill its voter-mandated responsibilities under Prop 47, officials from the Board of State and Community Corrections will hold a series of public meetings across California, beginning late this year. The Board is initiating the outreach in response to widespread interest in how expected state savings might be reinvested to reduce recidivism among the state’s low-level offenders. Proposition 47, enacted by the voters in November 2014, reduced non-serious and non-violent drug and property crimes from felonies to misdemeanors. Offenders serving prison time for those crimes may petition to have sentences reduced. The proposition directs to the BSCC 65 percent of the annual state savings to fund grants that provide mental health, diversion and drug-abuse treatment services. The funding will be administered by public agencies and must go toward programs to reduce recidivism. By July 2016 the Department of Finance must calculate the savings, and by Aug. 1, 2016 the DOF must certify results to the State Controller. Meanwhile the BSCC is laying the groundwork so the agency is ready to administer the savings as soon as possible. Several legislative proposals have been introduced in 2015 that would specify funding priorities for Prop 47 grants. Once the future of that legislation is known the BSCC will host statewide regional meetings to discuss potential allocation methodologies, discuss legislation potentially impacting the direction of funding, hear comments and answer questions. In the fall of 2015 the BSCC plans to form an Executive Steering Committee that by the summer of 2016 could make recommendations to the Board about an approach for making funding allocations. The dates and locations of the meetings will be announced on the BSCC website as they are set. View Announcement