Skip to main content
Independent and nonpartisan. SaveYourState is a civic information resource. It is not a government website and is not affiliated with any government agency, party, or campaign.

California · 2025–26 Regular Session · Assembly Bill

AB 1144: Prisons: elderly employment.

Did not advance Official data

  1. Introduced
  2. In committee
  3. Passed one chamber
  4. Passed both chambers
  5. Enacted
  6. Did not advance

Last official action: ·Record last updated:

Plain-language summary

AB 1144 is a assembly bill introduced in the California Assembly on February 20, 2025. According to its official title, it concerns: Prisons: elderly employment. Primary sponsor: Tina McKinnor (D). Most recent recorded action (February 2, 2026): From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56.

Generated automatically from the official title, sponsor list, and status record only. It does not characterize the bill’s purpose or effects. How summaries are written

Official summary

Legislative Counsel’s Digest (official, as of the latest version). Written by nonpartisan legislative staff; reproduced verbatim.

The California Constitution prohibits involuntary servitude, but exempts from this provision any servitude that is a punishment for a crime. Existing law requires the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) to require each able-bodied inmate, including a condemned inmate, to work as prescribed by CDCR regulations. Existing CDCR regulations require each inmate to participate in 8 hours per day of programming, including labor, education, counseling, physical fitness, and other programs, 5 days per week.

Existing law also authorizes a board of supervisors or city council, through an order, to require all persons confined in a county or city jail, industrial farm, or road camp, as specified, to perform labor on the public works or ways in the county or city, respectively, and to engage in the prevention and suppression of forest, brush, and grass fires upon lands within the county or city, respectively.

Notwithstanding any other law, the California Constitution, as amended by Proposition 57 at the November 8, 2016, statewide general election, grants CDCR the authority to award credits earned for good behavior and approved rehabilitative or educational achievements.

This bill would authorize inmates 55 years of age or older, or inmates with mental or physical disabilities, as defined, except those sentenced to death, in state prison or county jail to elect whether to continue to work, reduce the number of hours worked, or retire. The bill would prohibit CDCR from punishing the inmate, in specified ways including a change or reduction in privilege group assignment, based on their election.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 1

NameRolePartyChamberDistrict
Tina McKinnorPrimary sponsorDemocraticAssembly61

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

  1. From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56.
  2. Died pursuant to Art. IV, Sec. 10(c) of the Constitution.
  3. In committee: Held under submission.
  4. In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to suspense file.
  5. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
  6. Read second time and amended.
  7. From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (April 8).
  8. Referred to Com. on PUB. S.
  9. From printer. May be heard in committee March 23.
  10. Read first time. To print.

Sources

  1. California Legislative Information — pubinfo database export
  2. Official bill page