Inmates work at Sunset Cemetery in Willcox on June 22, 2022. The city relies on cheap labor from prisoners to keep their taxes low. Special Project Willcox
Sacramento, California – A new California bill aiming to prohibit forced labor in prisons is making its way through the state legislature, despite a setback from voters just months ago. Assemblymember Lori Wilson (D-Suisun City) introduced AB 475, which would end the practice of requiring incarcerated individuals to work for the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR). If passed, the bill would go into effect on January 1, 2027.
AB 475 seeks to establish a voluntary work program for inmates, with clear regulations on job assignments and wages. It would also mandate that local governments create ordinances to determine wages for county and city jail work programs, setting up a state-mandated local system.
Wilson’s bill follows in the footsteps of Proposition 6, a similar measure rejected by voters in the 2024 election. While Proposition 6 sought to eliminate forced prison labor, it was narrowly defeated, with 53.3% of voters opposing it. Despite this, Wilson is pushing forward with her legislation, noting that there was not an overwhelming rejection from the public and that the language around Prop. 6 had caused confusion.
AB 475 has already passed out of the public safety committee by a 6-1 vote. However, it faced some resistance during the hearings. Assemblymember Tom Lackey (R-Palmdale), one of the opponents of the bill, argued that comparing prison labor to slavery was misleading and expressed concern about supporting a measure that voters had already rejected. “We should not confuse the issue,” Lackey said. “This is about providing inmates with opportunities to work, not about associating the workforce with slavery.”
Wilson disagreed with Lackey’s interpretation, arguing that history will show the connection between forced prison labor and the exploitation of incarcerated people, especially when it comes to the lack of fair wages. “The concept of involuntary servitude is a deeply rooted issue in the criminal justice system,” she said during the hearing. “We need to recognize the injustices of forcing inmates to work without compensation.”
The bill will now move on to another committee for further review. If it eventually becomes law, California would join a growing list of states that have reexamined forced labor in prisons and taken steps toward offering inmates more opportunities for voluntary employment.
AB 475 is still far from being finalized, but with a continued push for reform in the prison system, it has sparked a much-needed conversation about labor rights, fairness, and justice in California’s correctional facilities.
