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AB-1144 • 2026

Prisons: elderly employment.

Prisons: elderly employment.

Agriculture Crime Education Elections
Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
McKinnor
Last action
2026-02-02
Official status
From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not specify the exact consequences if an inmate chooses to retire or reduce work hours.

Prisons: Elderly Employment

This law allows inmates who are at least 55 years old or have mental or physical disabilities to choose whether they want to continue working, reduce their work hours, or retire from prison jobs.

What This Bill Does

  • Allows inmates who are at least 55 years old or have mental or physical disabilities to decide if they want to continue working, reduce their work hours, or retire from prison jobs.
  • Prevents the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) from punishing these inmates by changing their privilege group assignment based on their decision about work.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Inmates who are at least 55 years old or have mental or physical disabilities in state prisons and county jails.
  • The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) which manages prison operations.

Terms To Know

Privilege group assignment
A system used by CDCR to determine what benefits and activities inmates can have based on their behavior and progress in rehabilitation programs.
CDCR
Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the agency that runs California's prisons and jails.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens if an inmate chooses to retire or reduce work hours.
  • It is unclear how this change will affect prison operations and rehabilitation programs for older inmates.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-02 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56.

  2. 2026-01-31 California Legislative Information

    Died pursuant to Art. IV, Sec. 10(c) of the Constitution.

  3. 2025-05-23 California Legislative Information

    In committee: Held under submission.

  4. 2025-04-30 California Legislative Information

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

  5. 2025-04-21 California Legislative Information

    Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  6. 2025-04-10 California Legislative Information

    Read second time and amended.

  7. 2025-04-09 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (April 8).

  8. 2025-03-10 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Com. on PUB. S.

  9. 2025-02-21 California Legislative Information

    From printer. May be heard in committee March 23.

  10. 2025-02-20 California Legislative Information

    Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 1144, as amended, McKinnor.
Prisons: elderly employment.
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.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
Download Bill PDF