Probation officers: funding.

Existing law requires a probation officer to notify the presiding judge of the superior court and the board of supervisors of the county, or city and county, upon a determination that, in the probation officer's opinion, staff and financial resources available to him or her are insufficient to meet his or her statutory or court-ordered responsibilities. Under existing law, that notification is required to be in writing, to explain which of those responsibilities cannot be met, and to explain what resources are necessary to properly discharge those responsibilities. This bill would require a county, or city and county, within 30 days of receipt of the notification described above, to determine if it has the resources available to meet the probation officer's specified needs, and to either inform the probation officer and the presiding judge of the superior court that it has the resources and commence providing the probation officer with the resources he or she has identified as necessary in that notification to properly discharge those responsibilities, or if it makes a determination that it does not have the resources available to meet the probation officer's specified needs, to notify the probation officer and the presiding judge of the superior court of that determination. By creating new duties for local government, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these statutory provisions.