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Senate Bill 553
SIGNED INTO LAW
CDCR Clearances for Attorneys and Government Employees

Transparency and accountability in California’s prisons depend on allowing the right people inside to see what’s happening. But right now, legislators, legal professionals, and others often face lengthy, repeated clearance processes to enter CDCR prisons and detention facilities — even when their work is essential to oversight and reform.

 

SB 553, authored by Senator Dave Cortese, removes those barriers. The bill streamlines access to CDCR facilities by granting short-term clearance to key individuals without requiring repeated applications, ensuring they can carry out their roles more effectively.

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Check out our other bills
AB 812 (Lowenthal)
Reconsideration for Incarcerated Firefighters

This bill will authorize the CDCR to recommend incarcerated firefighters to be considered for resentencing. It will also allow incarcerated firefighters to petition the court to be considered for resentencing.

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AB 247 (Bryan)
Increased Wages for Hand Crew Members

This bill will increase the pay that incarcerated hand crew members receive for the hours worked while actively fighting fires.

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AB 1071 (Kalra)
“RJA 2025” The CA Racial Justice Act Court Procedures

This bill will make clarifying changes to the procedures for Racial Justice Act (RJA) claims. It ensures greater consistency, transparency, and accessibility for people raising claims of racial bias in their cases.

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Our Impact
Past legislative efforts
Would have created in-person polling stations and voter registration access in county jails; vetoed by the Governor.
Eliminates most youth restitution fines, ending wage garnishments and joint liability; signed into law, effective Jan 1, 2025.
Requires the Inspector General to publish CDCR’s banned books list and review challenges; signed into law, effective Jan 1, 2025.
Improves language access at parole hearings by translating key documents into the top 5 non-English languages; effective Jan 1, 2025.
Standardizes resentencing procedures and mandates CDCR record sharing within 30 days; effective Jan 1, 2025.
Would have made Restorative Justice sessions confidential in legal proceedings; dropped due to weakening amendments.
Requires counties to notify victims of available Restorative Justice programs; passed in 2023.
Will bring polling centers and voter registration to jails; advancing in 2024 as a two-year bill.
Streamlines program provider access across all prisons; passed in 2023.
Fixes legal issues in the Racial Justice Act to ensure smoother appeals; passed in 2023.
Replaces youth restitution with restorative justice, community service, or job support; advancing in 2024 as a two-year bill.
Would have created retroactive resentencing for firearm enhancements; held in committee and did not move forward.
Would have restored voting rights to incarcerated people; held by the Free the Vote coalition.
Makes racial justice protections retroactive, with phased implementation starting in 2023 and 2024.
Prevents restitution from blocking record sealing or expungement; passed in 2022.
Requires courts to consider alternatives to incarceration like diversion and restorative justice; applies to cases from Jan 1, 2023.
Provides alternative pleas to avoid deportation and collateral consequences for drug charges; passed in 2022.
Would have limited solitary confinement and protected vulnerable groups; vetoed in 2022.
Improves access to in-prison programming by addressing barriers like transfers and lockdowns; implemented in 2022.
Would have reduced gun enhancements and created pathways for resentencing; did not pass in 2021.
Led to Prop 17, restoring voting rights to people on parole; passed in 2020.
Restored voting rights to 50,000 Californians on parole after completing prison sentences.
Permanently ended copays for medical and dental care in jails and prisons; passed in 2019.
Expands credit-earning opportunities for those eligible for youth parole; implemented in 2022.
Reformed felony murder rule, limiting its use; in effect since 2019.
FAQ
We prioritize policies that are informed by directly impacted people and that meaningfully reduce incarceration, restore rights, and promote healing.
Yes! We provide training and resources to help community members learn how to support, advocate for, and shape policy changes.
A bill must be introduced by a legislator, move through committees, pass both houses of the legislature, and be signed into law. Our role is to mobilize communities and lawmakers to support justice-focused policies.
You can take action by calling or writing legislators, joining organizing efforts, and helping spread awareness about our policy campaigns.
No. We also work policies related to reentry systems and restoring rights for people who are formerly incarcerated. As our policies reshape California's approach to justice, it reduces the likelihood that harm will happen again and frees up resources for the community (like money in our state's budget). This impacts all of us.