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    SB-553
    Justice & Public Safety

    Prisons: clearances.

    Introduced
    CA
    ∙
    2025-2026 Regular Session
    0
    0
    Track
    Track

    Key Takeaways

    • Establishes standardized clearance procedures for legal professionals to access all California state prisons.
    • Requires the prison system to process legal professional clearance applications within 30 days.
    • Grants automatic prison access to state officials including the Governor, legislators, and judges.

    Summary

    Senator Cortese's prison access legislation establishes standardized clearance procedures for legal professionals while streamlining facility entry for specified state officials. The measure creates a uniform annual clearance process for attorneys and their representatives to provide legal services across California state prisons, with the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation required to process applications within 30 days.

    The bill defines legal professionals to include licensed attorneys along with their sponsored representatives - such as private investigators, law students, legal paraprofessionals, and employees of legal service organizations. These professionals must complete standardized clearance forms and renew their authorization annually. The department must notify applicants of approval decisions within 30 days, or provide status updates when awaiting Department of Justice background check results.

    A separate provision grants automatic short-term clearance upon request to specific government officials, including the Governor and cabinet members, legislators and their staff, and current state judges. This allows these officials to enter correctional facilities without completing the standard clearance application process. The measure builds upon existing clearance categories for program providers, which include short-term, annual, and statewide authorizations for those delivering rehabilitative services to incarcerated individuals.

    Key Dates

    Next Step
    Referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Appropriations
    Next Step
    Senate Committee
    Referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Appropriations
    Hearing scheduled for , 1021 O Street, Room 2200
    Senate Appropriations Hearing
    Senate Committee
    Senate Appropriations Hearing
    Senate Appropriations Hearing
    Senate Public Safety Hearing
    Senate Committee
    Senate Public Safety Hearing
    Senate Public Safety Hearing
    Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.
    Senate Floor
    Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.
    Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

    Contacts

    Profile
    Anna CaballeroD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Tim GraysonD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Megan DahleR
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Kelly SeyartoR
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Dave CorteseD
    Senator
    Bill Author
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    0 of 8 row(s) selected.
    Page 1 of 2
    Select All Legislators
    Profile
    Anna CaballeroD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Tim GraysonD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Megan DahleR
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Kelly SeyartoR
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Dave CorteseD
    Senator
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Aisha WahabD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Christopher CabaldonD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Laura RichardsonD
    Senator
    Committee Member

    Get Involved

    Act Now!

    Email the authors or create an email template to send to all relevant legislators.

    Introduced By

    Dave Cortese
    Dave CorteseD
    California State Senator
    10% progression
    Bill has been formally introduced and read for the first time in its house of origin (2/20/2025)

    Latest Voting History

    View History
    April 21, 2025
    PASS
    Senate Committee
    Senate Appropriations Hearing
    AyesNoesNVRTotalResult
    6017PASS

    Key Takeaways

    • Establishes standardized clearance procedures for legal professionals to access all California state prisons.
    • Requires the prison system to process legal professional clearance applications within 30 days.
    • Grants automatic prison access to state officials including the Governor, legislators, and judges.

    Get Involved

    Act Now!

    Email the authors or create an email template to send to all relevant legislators.

    Introduced By

    Dave Cortese
    Dave CorteseD
    California State Senator

    Summary

    Senator Cortese's prison access legislation establishes standardized clearance procedures for legal professionals while streamlining facility entry for specified state officials. The measure creates a uniform annual clearance process for attorneys and their representatives to provide legal services across California state prisons, with the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation required to process applications within 30 days.

    The bill defines legal professionals to include licensed attorneys along with their sponsored representatives - such as private investigators, law students, legal paraprofessionals, and employees of legal service organizations. These professionals must complete standardized clearance forms and renew their authorization annually. The department must notify applicants of approval decisions within 30 days, or provide status updates when awaiting Department of Justice background check results.

    A separate provision grants automatic short-term clearance upon request to specific government officials, including the Governor and cabinet members, legislators and their staff, and current state judges. This allows these officials to enter correctional facilities without completing the standard clearance application process. The measure builds upon existing clearance categories for program providers, which include short-term, annual, and statewide authorizations for those delivering rehabilitative services to incarcerated individuals.

    10% progression
    Bill has been formally introduced and read for the first time in its house of origin (2/20/2025)

    Key Dates

    Next Step
    Referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Appropriations
    Next Step
    Senate Committee
    Referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Appropriations
    Hearing scheduled for , 1021 O Street, Room 2200
    Senate Appropriations Hearing
    Senate Committee
    Senate Appropriations Hearing
    Senate Appropriations Hearing
    Senate Public Safety Hearing
    Senate Committee
    Senate Public Safety Hearing
    Senate Public Safety Hearing
    Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.
    Senate Floor
    Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.
    Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

    Latest Voting History

    View History
    April 21, 2025
    PASS
    Senate Committee
    Senate Appropriations Hearing
    AyesNoesNVRTotalResult
    6017PASS

    Contacts

    Profile
    Anna CaballeroD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Tim GraysonD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Megan DahleR
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Kelly SeyartoR
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Dave CorteseD
    Senator
    Bill Author
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    0 of 8 row(s) selected.
    Page 1 of 2
    Select All Legislators
    Profile
    Anna CaballeroD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Tim GraysonD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Megan DahleR
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Kelly SeyartoR
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Dave CorteseD
    Senator
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Aisha WahabD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Christopher CabaldonD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Laura RichardsonD
    Senator
    Committee Member