SB-553
Justice & Public Safety

Prisons: clearances.

Introduced
CA
2025-2026 Regular Session
0
0
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 has not been scheduled yet
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

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 has not been scheduled yet
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

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