BILL ANALYSIS
AB 1890
Page 1
ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AB 1890 (Rod Pacheco)
As Amended May 26, 2000
Majority vote
PUBLIC SAFETY 8-0 APPROPRIATIONS 15-6
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|Ayes:|Washington, Dickerson, |Ayes:|Migden, Campbell, |
| |Battin, Aroner, | |Ackerman, Alquist, |
| |Firebaugh, Keeley, Oller, | |Aroner, Ashburn, Brewer, |
| |Romero | |Cedillo, Corbett, Davis, |
| | | |Kuehl, Maldonado, Papan, |
| | | |Romero, Runner, Shelley, |
| | | |Thomson, Wesson, Wiggins, |
| | | |Wright, Zettel |
-----------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY : Requires the California Department of Corrections
(CDC) work or fire crews that operate outside of prison grounds
to wear distinctive clothing. Specifically, this bill states
that CDC shall require that prisoners who are working outside
the prison grounds in road clean-up crews or fire crews wear
distinctive clothing for identification purposes.
EXISTING LAW :
1)States CDC shall require of every able-bodied prisoner
imprisoned in any state prison as many hours of faithful labor
in each day and every day during his or her term of
imprisonment as shall be prescribed by the rules and
regulations of the CDC Director.
2)Authorizes the Department of Transportation to employ, or
cause to employ, prisoners confined in the state prisons in
the improvement and maintenance of any state highway.
3)Authorizes any department, division, bureau, or other agency
of the State of California to use convicts confined in the
state prisons to perform work necessary and proper to be done
by them at permanent, temporary, and mobile camps.
4)Establishes the Prison Industry Authority for the purpose of
developing and operating industrial, agricultural, and service
enterprises employing prisoners in institutions under the
AB 1890
Page 2
jurisdiction of CDC.
5)Establishes within CDC a joint-venture program allowing
private businesses to establish manufacturing and service
enterprises on prison property employing inmates confined in
the state prison.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee analysis, if CDC could make or procure bright and
durable coveralls for $25 apiece, the cost of 9,000 units would
be about $225,000.
COMMENTS : According to the author, "Recently, an inmate from
the California Rehabilitation Center, a medium-security facility
in Norco, walked away from a fire crew while assigned to clear
away brush at the California Citrus State Historic Park. The
prisoner later kidnapped a 16-year-old Riverside girl at
gunpoint and forced her to drive to Bakersfield where she
finally escaped.
"It is the practice of the CDC to use prisoners to work on fire
crews. These crews are used throughout local communities and
are not staffed by correctional officers nor armed.
Additionally, prisoners on fire crews are not required to wear
distinctive clothing, which serves to warn the public they are
prisoners.
"AB 1890 will require the CDC to provide all prisoners with
distinctive clothing while working off prison grounds. This
measure will assure protection of the public by increasing the
security and supervision of work crew prisoners, as well as
ensuring their identification."
Please see the policy committee analysis for a more
comprehensive discussion of this bill.
Analysis Prepared by : Gregory Pagan / PUB. S. / (916) 319-3744
FN: 0005120