Single-Occupancy Cell Pilot Program.

Assembly Member Connolly's prison reform initiative would establish a voluntary single-occupancy cell program across four California state prisons, aiming to house 10% of inmates in individual cells by January 2027. The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Secretary would select participating facilities, excluding women's prisons, medical facilities, and state hospitals, while developing criteria for inmate placement in single-occupancy housing.

The pilot program requires comprehensive data collection to evaluate its effectiveness, with facilities tracking participation rates in work assignments, educational programs, and treatment services. By March 2028, the Secretary must submit a detailed report analyzing facility capacity, violence incidents, and program participation rates, comparing outcomes between single and multiple-occupancy housing units. The legislation specifies that safety cells, detoxification units, and temporary holding areas do not count toward the 10% single-occupancy requirement.

The measure includes several operational safeguards: participation remains voluntary, with inmates able to request transfers between single and shared cells; no new prison construction is authorized; and facility selections must utilize existing infrastructure. While inmates may request placement in pilot facilities, denial of such requests cannot serve as grounds for legal action. These provisions aim to implement the program within current departmental resources while maintaining operational flexibility.