Prisons: elderly employment.

Assembly Member McKinnor's prison labor reform legislation grants inmates aged 55 and older in California state prisons and county jails the ability to choose their work status, marking a departure from current mandatory labor requirements. The bill allows eligible inmates to maintain their current work schedule, reduce their hours, or fully retire from prison work programs.

The legislation prohibits the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation from imposing consequences on inmates who elect to modify or cease their work participation. Specifically barred actions include disciplinary write-ups, security level changes, involuntary transfers between facilities, placement in special housing units, reductions in privilege group assignments, and restrictions on voluntary program participation.

For inmates who continue working, the bill maintains existing compensation structures, with wages factored into statutory pricing for prison industry services. Those opting for reduced hours remain eligible for pay, funded through legislative appropriations or available departmental resources. The measure also preserves current provisions regarding supervision requirements and worker compensation coverage for inmates engaged in fire prevention activities, while limiting fire crew supervision to 20 inmates per department member.