Elderly Parole Program.

Crime

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Nguyen
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 exact impact on prison populations and public safety remains to be seen.

Elderly Parole Program

This law changes the rules for when certain elderly prisoners can be released from prison.

What This Bill Does

Creates a program to review if older inmates are ready to leave prison safely.
Requires special consideration of factors that reduce an inmate's risk of future violence.
Excludes people convicted of serious crimes or sentenced under the three strikes law from early parole eligibility.
Adds more types of offenders, such as sexual offenders and habitual sex offenders, who cannot get parole until they are 60 and have served 25 years.

Who It Names or Affects

Older inmates in prison
The Board of Parole Hearings

Terms To Know

Three Strikes Law: A law that gives very long sentences to people who commit serious crimes more than once.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify what happens if someone is excluded but meets other criteria.
It's unclear how this will affect current inmates who are already eligible under a court order.

Bill History

2026-02-02 California Legislative Information
From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56.
2026-01-31 California Legislative Information
Died pursuant to Art. IV, Sec. 10(c) of the Constitution.
2025-05-23 California Legislative Information
In committee: Held under submission.
2025-05-07 California Legislative Information
In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.
2025-04-29 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-04-28 California Legislative Information
Read second time and amended.
2025-04-24 California Legislative Information
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 8. Noes 0.) (April 22).
2025-03-24 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on PUB. S.
2024-12-03 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be heard in committee January 2.
2024-12-02 California Legislative Information
Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 47, as amended, Nguyen.
Elderly Parole Program.
Existing law establishes the Elderly Parole Program for the purpose of reviewing the parole suitability of inmates who are 50 years of age or older and who have served a minimum of 20 years of continuous incarceration on their sentence. Existing law requires the Board of Parole Hearings, when considering the release of qualifying inmates, to give special consideration to whether certain criteria have reduced the elderly inmate’s risk for future violence. Existing law excludes various persons from these provisions, including persons
convicted of serious felonies or persons sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
sentenced pursuant to existing sentencing provisions commonly known as the three strikes
law. Under an existing court order, although statutorily excluded, an individual may be eligible for parole under the Elderly Parole Program when they are 60 years of age or older and have been continuously incarcerated for at least 25 years.
This bill would
additionally exclude
instead specify that
persons required to register as sexual offenders, habitual sexual offenders, and persons convicted of various sexual offenses, including rape or
sodomy.
sodomy, are not suitable for parole under the Elderly Parole Program until the person is 60 years of age or older and has served a minimum of
25 years of continuous incarceration on their current sentence.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Download Bill PDF