The California Constitution authorizes the Governor to affirm, modify, or reverse the decision of the Board of Parole Hearings with respect to the granting, denial, revocation, or suspension of parole of a person sentenced to an indeterminate term upon conviction of murder. Existing law classifies certain felonies as violent felonies for purposes of various provisions of the Penal Code. This bill would additionally authorize the Governor to reverse or modify the decision of the board to grant parole to an inmate sentenced for conviction of a violent felony to an indeterminate prison term, as specified, or to a determinate prison term, as specified, if the board's decision is to grant the inmate parole pursuant to the Elderly Parole Program or youth offender parole program. Existing law requires the Board of Parole Hearings to meet with each indeterminately sentenced inmate during the 6th year before the inmate's minimum eligible parole date for the purpose of reviewing and documenting the inmate's activities and conduct pertinent to parole eligibility. One year before the inmate's eligible parole date, existing law requires a panel of the board to meet with the inmate and to grant parole unless the panel or board sitting en banc determines that the gravity of the current convicted offense, or the timing and gravity of current or past convicted offenses, is such that consideration of the public safety requires a more lengthy period of incarceration for the inmate. Existing law, the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act, requires, with specified exceptions, that all meetings of a state body be open and public and all persons be permitted to attend. Existing law authorizes certain state bodies to hold closed session meetings for certain purposes, including allowing a state body to hold a closed session when considering and acting upon the determination of a term, parole, or release of any individual or other disposition of an individual case. This bill would require the board to provide an annual report to the Legislature, and publish that report on its internet website, detailing, among other things, the voting record of commissioners, as specified, and whether the prosecuting agency appeared at the parole hearing. The bill would also require recording of parole, en banc, and rescission hearings to be recorded and transcribed, and the recording retained indefinitely by the board. The bill would prohibit an en banc review conducted by the board from being held in a closed session. Existing law, as amended by Proposition 9, the Victim's Bill of Rights Act of 2008: Marsy's Law, at the November 4, 2008, statewide general election, requires the board, following a decision denying parole, to schedule the next hearing 3, 5, 7, 10, or 15 years from the date of the last hearing, as specified. Existing law also authorizes the board, in its discretion and after considering the views and interests of the victim, to advance a hearing to an earlier date, when a change in circumstances or new information establishes a reasonable likelihood that consideration of the public and victim's safety does not require additional incarceration. Existing law authorizes an inmate, every 3 years, to request that the board exercise its discretion to advance a hearing and provides the procedure for an inmate to make that request. This bill would require the Board of Parole Hearings, in determining suitability for parole, to consider specified information and give substantial weight to the nature and circumstances of the commitment offense that includes, among other things, the degree of violence involved and the vulnerability of the victim. The bill would change the length of time between requests to advance to 5 years and would also change the inmate's burden to require the inmate to show that there has been a material and substantial change in circumstances or new information. The bill would require the board to provide notice of a request to advance to the prosecuting agency and registered victim, and would authorize the board to summarily deny a request to advance in certain circumstances, including when the request is duplicative or repetitive or fails to include sufficient documentation or explanation. The bill would require the board to set a hearing, following a decision denying parole, at 5 years if the inmate is serving a term of conviction for, among other things, murder involving a victim 14 years of age or younger, or various sexual offenses involving a victim 14 years of age or younger. The bill would require that the board deny a request to advance for an individual serving a term for those offenses, unless the request demonstrates clear and convincing evidence of a material and substantial change in circumstances. These provisions would become operative only if Assembly Constitutional Amendment ____ of the 2025–26 Regular Session, amending Section 8 of Article V of the Constitution, is approved by the voters at the November 3, 2026, statewide election. The bill would make related findings and declarations and would declare that its provisions are severable.
Sponsored bills
This measure would recognize March 26, 2026, as Women's Equal Pay Day in California, in recognition of the need to eliminate the gender gap in earnings by women and to promote policies to ensure equal pay for all.
Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution formally acknowledges the Armenian Genocide, a systematic campaign of mass killing and deportation that occurred between 1915 and 1923 against Armenians living in the Ottoman Empire and later Turkey. The document details historical events, including the deaths of over 1.5 million people, the seizure of their property, and the subsequent denial of these atrocities by the modern Republic of Turkey. By reciting these facts, the resolution aims to preserve the historical record and honor the survivors and victims of this event.
This measure would recognize March 21, 2026, as the beginning of the International Day of Nowroz and extend best wishes for a peaceful and prosperous Nowroz to all Californians.
This measure would proclaim the month of March 2026 as Afghan American Heritage Month and recognize Afghan Americans as an essential part of cultural and civic life of this state.
This measure would proclaim the month of March 2026 as California Down Syndrome Awareness Month. The measure would also proclaim March 21, 2026, as California Down Syndrome Awareness Day, and would encourage all Californians to support and participate in related activities.
Existing law provides that all property has an owner, whether that owner is the state, and the property is public, or the owner is an individual, and the property is private. This bill would prohibit a foreign actor from purchasing, acquiring, leasing, or holding a controlling interest, as defined, in agricultural land within the State of California. The bill, among other things, would exempt land held by prohibited foreign actors before January 1, 2027, from that provision. The bill would provide that land transferred in violation of these provisions would be subject to divestiture, as specified. The bill would make its provisions operative upon appropriation by the Legislature.
Existing law, the California Community Care Facilities Act, provides for the licensure and regulation of community care facilities, including foster family homes and foster family agencies, by the State Department of Social Services. Existing law requires a criminal record check of applicants for a license, special permit, or certificate of approval for a foster family home or certified family home, and other persons, including nonclients who reside in those homes and staff and employees. Existing law requires the department to check the child abuse and neglect registry of a different state for a licensee of a community care facility, or any specified associated individual, who has lived in another state in the preceding 5 years. Existing law generally makes violations of these requirements a crime. This bill would authorize a licensee of a community care facility to approve an individual to care for children before the completion of another state's child abuse and neglect registry check if certain specified conditions are met, including that the community care facility has submitted a request for the out-of-state abuse and neglect registry check to the department. The bill would require a licensee to remove an applicant from the community care facility immediately upon receipt of information that would disqualify the applicant from approval and notify the department of the removal within 3 business days. By expanding the scope of a crime, this bill would impose 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.
Existing law designates specific days as holidays in this state, including Cesar Chavez Day on March 31, and requires the Governor to annually proclaim March 31 as Cesar Chavez Day. This bill would instead designate March 31 as Farmworkers Day and would require the Governor to annually proclaim March 31 as Farmworkers Day. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution formally declares March 2026 as Women's History Month in California to honor the historical and ongoing contributions of women across all fields of society. The measure recognizes women's roles in building the nation and state while acknowledging that many of their achievements have been overlooked or undocumented. By joining the United States Congress and state organizations in this observance, the resolution aims to raise awareness of women's accomplishments and encourage continued efforts to address gender inequity. The text is a commemorative proclamation rather than a law that changes specific regulations or mandates new programs.