Prisons.

Senator Menjivar's prison reform legislation introduces comprehensive changes to California's correctional system policies, focusing on preventing sexual misconduct and enhancing oversight of correctional staff. The bill establishes new requirements for body-worn cameras, mandates stricter vetting of correctional employees, and expands protections for incarcerated individuals during searches and medical procedures.

The legislation requires the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to implement detailed body-worn camera protocols, including specific documentation requirements for camera deactivation during confidential interactions. Correctional staff must record their reasons for turning off cameras and the duration of deactivation. The department must also adopt and regularly update a Prison Rape Elimination policy that codifies zero tolerance for sexual violence and harassment within correctional facilities.

Under the new provisions, incarcerated individuals gain the right to request an advocate's presence during body cavity searches, strip searches, and body scans. The department must document these requests, including whether they were granted or denied. The bill extends the timeframe for filing grievances from 60 to 120 days and creates a pathway for anonymous reporting of sexual violence directly to the Office of the Inspector General.

The legislation strengthens employment restrictions by prohibiting the department from hiring or promoting individuals with histories of sexual abuse or certain serious convictions to positions involving contact with incarcerated persons. It mandates regular background checks of current employees and requires internal affairs investigators to disclose potential conflicts of interest. The bill also modifies existing sexual misconduct penalties, requiring termination of any employee convicted of sexual abuse and permanent ineligibility for reinstatement.