Prison Reform

Requires courts to review supervised release status when offenders violate terms three times and commit new crimes. Mandates county agencies to file detailed violation reports including offender history and recommendations. Limits jail confinement periods to 180 days for each supervision violation. Sets a three-year maximum supervision period from the initial release date.

Expands parole eligibility to offenders who committed crimes at age 25 or younger after serving 25 years. Requires completion of all youth offender parole hearings by January 2028. Excludes certain serious crimes like hate-motivated murder and domestic violence from eligibility. Mandates consideration of youth factors and growth in parole decisions.

Extends the advance notice period for victim notification of inmate release from 15 to 20 days. Requires victims to maintain current contact information to receive notifications about offender release. Allows victims to choose their preferred method of notification including phone, mail, or certified mail. Mandates notification for releases due to time served, parole, probation, or escape from facilities.

Restricts prison housing preferences for transgender inmates who committed specific crimes against opposite-gender victims. Requires housing assignments based on anatomy for inmates convicted of violent crimes like murder, rape, or trafficking. Mandates written justification from prison officials when denying an inmate's housing preference. Requires regular safety assessments and documentation of inmates' objections to housing decisions.

Requires prisons to notify county probation departments 165 days before releasing inmates under supervision. Mandates coordination between prisons and probation to verify and transport inmates to their correct county. Requires sharing of healthcare manager information to integrate medical services with reentry programs. Establishes reimbursement for counties to implement these new supervision requirements.

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.

Redefines prison's primary purpose as rehabilitation and personal growth rather than punishment alone. Requires prisons to make conditions as close to normal life as possible while maintaining security. Mandates staff training on dynamic security principles to improve officer-inmate relationships. Directs prisons to partner with community organizations to expand rehabilitation programs.

Grants courts new authority to decide if parole violators return to state prison or serve time in county jail. Establishes a two-year parole term for determinate sentences with possible discharge after 12 months. Sets a three-year parole term for life sentences with mandatory reviews at 12 and 24 months. Exempts registered sex offenders from these new parole term limits and review timelines.

Allows inmates aged 55 or older and those with disabilities to choose whether to work or retire from prison labor. Prohibits prisons from punishing inmates who choose to reduce their work hours or stop working. Applies to both state prisons and county jails, including work on public projects and fire prevention.

Establishes a voluntary pilot program to house 10% of inmates in single-occupancy cells at four state prisons by 2027. Requires the Department of Corrections to select facilities and create eligibility criteria for single-cell housing. Mandates detailed reporting on violence rates, program participation, and outcomes by March 2028. Prohibits new prison construction and excludes women's prisons and medical facilities from the program.

Requires juvenile detention facilities to provide free hygiene products to indigent youth detainees. Prohibits using access to hygiene products as a disciplinary measure or reward. Mandates the discharge of all hygiene product debts accrued before January 1, 2026. Defines indigent status as having $25 or less in trust accounts over seven days.

Establishes a pilot apprenticeship program for people with disabilities to work as environmental technicians in state prisons. Requires six state agencies to jointly develop and launch the program by July 1, 2026. Addresses workforce barriers faced by Californians with disabilities who face 7.2% unemployment.

Requires annual reports on prison educational space availability and usage starting January 2028. Mandates tracking of convertible spaces that could be used for academic and vocational programs. Establishes prison-specific reporting of space deficits or surpluses for educational programs.

Requires prison vending machine food prices to match average retail prices in the surrounding community. Mandates consideration of obesity research when selecting prison food offerings. Promotes sourcing fresh and nutritious food items from local farmers for prison vending machines.

Establishes a new Division of Female Programs and Services to oversee all women's prisons and rehabilitation programs. Requires prison staff working with female inmates to complete 40 hours of specialized gender-responsive training. Creates a Gender Responsive Strategies Commission to develop partnerships and oversee women-centered corrections. Mandates an ombudsperson dedicated solely to women's prisons to address concerns and oversight.

Prohibits placing conditionally released sexually violent predators within a quarter mile of child daycare facilities. Requires coordination between law enforcement and county officials to secure appropriate housing placements. Defines private schools as facilities that filed affidavits with the State Department of Education. Allows courts to impose sanctions on officials who fail to participate in placement planning meetings.

Establishes a new prison program allowing inmates to form and operate worker cooperatives within state facilities. Requires cooperatives to contribute 40% of inmate wages to a reentry fund supporting post-release opportunities. Mandates that prison cooperatives focus on environmentally sustainable industries and products. Provides inmates with training in financial literacy and business management while earning minimum wage.

Mandates a comprehensive study of solitary confinement use in all California detention facilities during 2026. Requires facilities to report detailed data on each instance of solitary confinement to the Department of Justice. Establishes monthly public reporting requirements with a final comprehensive report due November 1, 2026. Expires January 1, 2028 unless renewed by the Legislature.

Requires a state analysis of transitional housing facilities for released sexually violent predators by 2027. Mandates submission of findings to the Legislature to improve the conditional release program. Takes immediate effect as an urgency measure to enhance public safety.

Requires state approval before sexually violent predators can be placed in community housing. Mandates vendors prioritize public safety when selecting housing for released offenders. Takes effect immediately as an urgent public safety measure.

Requires parole boards to review crime scene, autopsy, and weapon photographs during life sentence parole hearings. Mandates documentation that all photographs and recommendations were considered in parole decisions. Maintains the minimum seven-year imprisonment requirement before parole eligibility for life sentences.

Establishes a zero-tolerance policy for sexual misconduct in state prisons with mandatory termination for violations. Requires correctional officers to wear body cameras and document when and why they are deactivated. Grants inmates the right to request an advocate during body searches and medical appointments. Extends the inmate grievance filing period from 60 to 120 days and allows anonymous reporting of sexual violence.

Requires California women's prisons to create separate secure facilities for housing transgender inmates. Mandates separate sleeping and intimate areas to address security needs of biological female inmates. Prohibits sex offenders from being housed in women's prisons unless they are biological females.

Transitions California prison work from mandatory to voluntary programs starting January 2027. Requires local governments to set wages for jail work programs through ordinances. Authorizes CDCR to establish compensation rates for state prison work assignments. Mandates that inmate wages be included when calculating costs of prison work program services.

Excludes sex offenders and habitual sex offenders from the Elderly Parole Program starting January 1, 2026. Applies to inmates aged 50 or older who have served at least 20 years of continuous incarceration. Maintains existing exclusions for serious felonies and murder of peace officers. Applies retroactively to all eligible inmates regardless of prior parole petition status.