AB 475: Prisons and jails: employment of inmates.

Official summary

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

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 a day of programming, including labor, education, counseling, physical fitness, and other programs, 5 days per week. Under existing CDCR regulations, an inmate who fails to participate as required is subject to a loss of privileges, including the earning of good conduct credit.

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.

This bill would no longer require CDCR to require each able-bodied inmate to work and, instead, would require CDCR to develop a voluntary work program and to prescribe rules and regulations regarding voluntary work assignments for CDCR inmates, including the wages for work assignments, and would require wages for work assignments in county and city jail programs to be set by local ordinance. The bill would, on and after January 1, 2027, prohibit CDCR from requiring incarcerated persons, except as specified, to work. By requiring local authorities to pass a local ordinance to set compensation for county and city jail programs, this bill would create a state-mandated local program.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 1

“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. February 2, 2026From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56.
2. January 31, 2026Died pursuant to Art. IV, Sec. 10(c) of the Constitution.
3. May 23, 2025In committee: Held under submission.
4. April 23, 2025In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to suspense file.
5. March 26, 2025From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 6. Noes 1.) (March 25). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
6. March 11, 2025Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.
7. March 10, 2025From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on PUB. S. Read second time and amended.
8. February 24, 2025Referred to Com. on PUB. S.
9. February 11, 2025From printer. May be heard in committee March 13.
10. February 10, 2025Read first time. To print.