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SB-672 • 2026

The Youth Rehabilitation and Opportunity Act.

The Youth Rehabilitation and Opportunity Act.

Crime Elections
Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Rubio
Last action
2025-07-01
Official status
July 1 set for second hearing canceled at the request of author.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on what crimes are specified for eligibility under this act, beyond mentioning 'controlling offenses'.

Youth Rehabilitation and Opportunity Act

This act changes the rules for when young people who committed certain crimes can be considered for parole after being in prison for at least 25 years.

What This Bill Does

  • Makes people under 26 years old, who were sentenced to life without parole for specified crimes, eligible for a parole hearing after serving 25 years in prison.
  • Requires the Board of Parole Hearings to finish all hearings for these young offenders by January 1, 2028.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who were sentenced to life without parole when they committed crimes before turning 26 years old.
  • The Board of Parole Hearings which will conduct these parole hearings.

Terms To Know

Parole
A chance for a prisoner to leave prison early, but with rules they must follow.
Board of Parole Hearings
The group that decides if prisoners can be released on parole.

Limits and Unknowns

  • Proposition 7 from 1978, which voters approved, cannot be changed by the Legislature.
  • This act does not apply to people who were already sentenced before this law was passed.

Bill History

  1. 2025-07-01 California Legislative Information

    July 1 set for second hearing canceled at the request of author.

  2. 2025-06-13 California Legislative Information

    From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.

  3. 2025-06-11 California Legislative Information

    June 17 set for first hearing canceled at the request of author.

  4. 2025-06-09 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Com. on PUB. S.

  5. 2025-06-04 California Legislative Information

    In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.

  6. 2025-06-03 California Legislative Information

    Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 24. Noes 11. Page 1450.) Ordered to the Assembly.

  7. 2025-05-27 California Legislative Information

    Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  8. 2025-05-23 California Legislative Information

    Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.

  9. 2025-05-23 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 5. Noes 1. Page 1209.) (May 23).

  10. 2025-05-16 California Legislative Information

    Set for hearing May 23.

  11. 2025-05-05 California Legislative Information

    May 5 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.

  12. 2025-04-25 California Legislative Information

    Set for hearing May 5.

  13. 2025-04-23 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 1. Page 842.) (April 22). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  14. 2025-04-10 California Legislative Information

    From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.

  15. 2025-04-09 California Legislative Information

    Set for hearing April 22.

  16. 2025-03-05 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Com. on PUB. S.

  17. 2025-02-24 California Legislative Information

    Read first time.

  18. 2025-02-24 California Legislative Information

    From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 24.

  19. 2025-02-21 California Legislative Information

    Introduced. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Official Summary Text

SB 672, as amended, Rubio.
The Youth Rehabilitation and Opportunity Act.
Existing law requires the Board of Parole Hearings to conduct a youth offender parole hearing for offenders sentenced to state prison who committed specified crimes when they were under 25 years of age. Existing law makes a person who was convicted of a controlling offense that was committed when the person was under 18 years of age and for which the sentence is life without the possibility of parole eligible for release on parole at a youth offender hearing by the board during the person’s 25th year of incarceration. Existing law specifies that these provisions do not alter the rights of a victim at a parole hearing.
Under existing law, a murder perpetrated by specified means or under certain circumstances is defined as murder of the first degree. Existing law, as added by Proposition 7, an initiative measure approved by the voters at the
November 7, 1978, statewide general election, requires that a person convicted of first-degree murder be subject to death or confinement in prison for a term of life without the possibility of parole in any case in which specified special circumstances are charged and found to be true. Proposition 7 does not provide for amendment by the Legislature.
This bill, the Youth Rehabilitation and Opportunity Act, would instead make a person who was convicted of a controlling offense that was committed when the person was 25 years of age or younger and for which they were sentenced to life without the possibility of parole eligible for parole after their 25th year of incarceration, except as specified. The bill would require the board to complete, by January 1, 2028, all hearings for individuals who are or will be entitled to have their parole suitability considered at a youth offender parole hearing by these provisions, as specified.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
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