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AB-1140 • 2026

Single-Occupancy Cell Pilot Program.

Single-Occupancy Cell Pilot Program.

Crime Education
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Connolly
Last action
2025-08-29
Official status
In committee: Held under submission.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details about which four prisons will be selected for the pilot program, leaving this detail unknown.

Single-Occupancy Cell Pilot Program

This law requires the Department of Corrections to start a test program where some prisoners are housed alone in their cells at four prisons.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires the Secretary of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to create a pilot program for single-occupancy cells by January 1, 2027.
  • Selects four adult prison facilities and applies the program to 10% of each facility's population.
  • Establishes criteria for who can be in the single-cell occupancy program.
  • Makes participation in the program voluntary for prisoners.
  • Requires a report by March 15, 2028, detailing how many people are in single cells and participating in education programs.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who are incarcerated at four selected adult prison facilities.
  • The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

Terms To Know

Pilot Program
A small-scale test to see if an idea works before making it bigger.
Single-Occupancy Cell
A prison cell that holds only one person.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify which four prisons will be chosen for the program.
  • It is unclear how many prisoners will actually choose to participate in the single-cell occupancy program.
  • The effectiveness of the program cannot be determined until after it has been implemented and evaluated.

Bill History

  1. 2025-08-29 California Legislative Information

    In committee: Held under submission.

  2. 2025-08-18 California Legislative Information

    In committee: Referred to suspense file.

  3. 2025-07-03 California Legislative Information

    Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  4. 2025-07-02 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (July 1).

  5. 2025-06-11 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Com. on PUB. S.

  6. 2025-06-03 California Legislative Information

    In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.

  7. 2025-06-02 California Legislative Information

    Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 77. Noes 1. Page 1879.)

  8. 2025-05-27 California Legislative Information

    Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  9. 2025-05-23 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (May 23).

  10. 2025-04-30 California Legislative Information

    In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to suspense file.

  11. 2025-04-09 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (April 8). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  12. 2025-03-26 California Legislative Information

    In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.

  13. 2025-03-10 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Com. on PUB. S.

  14. 2025-02-21 California Legislative Information

    From printer. May be heard in committee March 23.

  15. 2025-02-20 California Legislative Information

    Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 1140, as amended, Connolly.
Single-Occupancy Cell Pilot Program.
Existing law establishes the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and sets forth its powers and duties regarding the administration of correctional facilities and the care and custody of inmates. Existing law vests in the Secretary of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation the supervision, management, and control of the state prisons, and the responsibility for the care, custody, treatment, training, discipline, and employment of persons confined in the state prisons.
This bill, the Single-Occupancy Cell Pilot Program of 2026, would require the Secretary of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to develop and implement a pilot program to house people who are incarcerated at 4 adult prison facilities in single-occupancy cells by January 1, 2027. The bill would require the secretary to select the 4 facilities and
establish criteria to determine who will be housed in single-occupancy cells. The bill would require the pilot program to apply to 10% of the population housed at each of the 4 facilities.
The bill would require that participation in the program be voluntary, as specified.
The bill would require the secretary, by March 15, 2028, to transmit a publicly available report to the Governor and the Legislature detailing specified information pertaining to the pilot program, including the number of incarcerated persons housed in single-cell occupancy cells under the pilot program and participating in education assignments by facility, as specified.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
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