Inmate firefighters: credits.

Under existing law, a prisoner can reduce their term of imprisonment by earning credit for, among other things, continuous incarceration, good behavior, and participation in approved rehabilitative programming. Existing law prohibits a prisoner convicted of specified felony offenses from earning credit if the prisoner previously has been convicted of one of those felony offenses 2 or more times and has served 2 or more separate prior prison terms. Existing law makes an inmate of a state prison, or of a county jail, who has completed training for assignment to a correctional institution as an inmate firefighter, or who is assigned to a correctional institution as an inmate firefighter, and who is eligible to earn one day of credit for every one day of incarceration, instead eligible to earn 2 days of credit for every one day served in that assignment or after completing that training. This bill, Ryla's Law, would make a person convicted of specific child abuse crimes ineligible to earn 2 days of credit for every one day served as an inmate firefighter or after completing inmate firefighting training. By reducing the amount of credits an inmate sentenced to county jail can earn, this bill would create a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.