Prisons: facilities for female offenders.

Assembly Member Quirk-Silva's corrections reform legislation establishes a new Division of Female Programs and Services within California's Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, creating dedicated oversight of facilities and programs serving incarcerated women. The division, led by a director with at least five years of experience in women's corrections, assumes responsibility for female institutions, conservation camps, and community programs.

The bill restructures institutional leadership by appointing three subordinate officers to oversee male facilities and one for female facilities. It also creates a Gender Responsive Strategies Commission comprising community organizations, researchers, policy experts, legislators, union representatives, formerly incarcerated women, and legal advocates. The commission meets quarterly to develop partnerships and guide gender-responsive practices.

New training requirements mandate 40 hours of specialized instruction for staff working in women's prisons, followed by annual 8-hour refresher courses focused on gender-specific needs. The department must update its Female Offender Reform Master Plan every three years beginning March 2026, incorporating input from the commission and corrections experts. The legislation also designates an ombudsperson specifically for women's facilities and requires regular staffing analyses to assess operational needs.