Assembly Constitutional AmendmentIntroduced
ACA 6: Slavery.
What ACA 6 does, verified August 25, 2025
The proposed constitutional amendment aims to prohibit slavery in all forms in the state of California. This measure would clarify that it does not prohibit the awarding of credits to an incarcerated person who voluntarily accepts a work assignment by the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. The amendment would amend Section 6 of Article I of the state constitution to explicitly prohibit slavery, while also ensuring that individuals in correctional facilities can participate in work programs.
Bill journey
1IntroducedCurrent
2In CommitteePending
3First Chamber FloorPending
4Second ChamberPending
5GovernorPending
6ChapteredPending
Last action: From printer. May be heard in committee March 9. (2025-02-06)Alert me
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| Feb. 07, 2025 | From printer. May be heard in committee March 9. |
| Feb. 06, 2025 | Introduced. To print. |
| Feb. 06, 2025 | Read first time. To print. |
Latest bill textIntroduced version, February 6, 2025 · 368 words
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION
Assembly Constitutional Amendment
No. 6
| Introduced by Assembly Member Wilson |
February 06, 2025 |
A resolution to propose to the people of the State of California an amendment to the Constitution of the State, by amending Section 6 of Article I thereof, relating to slavery.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
ACA 6, as introduced, Wilson. Slavery.
The California Constitution prohibits slavery and prohibits involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime.
This measure would instead prohibit slavery in all forms. This measure would clarify that its provisions do not prohibit the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation from awarding credits to an incarcerated person who voluntarily accepts a work assignment.
WHEREAS, The California Constitution has explicitly allowed involuntary servitude as punishment for a crime since 1849, more than 15 years before slavery was abolished in the United States; and
WHEREAS, More than 150 years after slavery was abolished, correctional institutions continue to rely on the involuntary servitude exception in the California Constitution to demand forced labor from incarcerated people; and
WHEREAS, Forced labor has no redeeming qualities and is inconsistent with California’s respect for human dignity; and
WHEREAS, It is the intent of the Legislature that no person in the State of California, regardless of their circumstance of confinement, be subjected to slavery or involuntary servitude in the State of California and any place subject to its jurisdiction; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Assembly, the Senate concurring, That the Legislature of the State of California at its 2025–26 Regular Session commencing on the second day of December 2024, two-thirds of the membership of each house concurring, hereby proposes to the people of the State of California, that the Constitution of the State be amended as follows:
That Section 6 of Article I thereof is amended to read:
SEC. 6.
(a) Slavery(b) Nothing in this section shall prohibit the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation from awarding credits to an incarcerated person who voluntarily accepts a work assignment.
(c) Amendments made to this section by the measure adding this subdivision shall become operative on January 1, 2027.
Text of ACA 6 as introduced, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions