Senate BillFailedPenal
SB 311: Correctional facilities: women’s prisons.
What SB 311 does, verified February 3, 2026
The bill aims to enhance safety and security in women's prisons. It requires the establishment of a secure facility at each women's prison to house transgender women, ensuring their security needs are met without compromising the safety of biological women. The bill also prohibits inmates convicted of certain sexual offenses from being housed at women's prisons.
Bill journey
✓IntroducedComplete
2In CommitteeCurrent
3First Chamber FloorPending
4Second ChamberPending
5GovernorPending
6ChapteredPending
Last action: Returned to Secretary of Senate pursuant to Joint Rule 56. (2026-02-02)Alert me
Author and sponsors
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| Feb. 02, 2026 | Returned to Secretary of Senate pursuant to Joint Rule 56. |
| Apr. 29, 2025 | April 29 set for first hearing. Failed passage in committee. (Ayes 1. Noes 4. Page 944.) Reconsideration granted. |
| Apr. 11, 2025 | Set for hearing April 29. |
| Apr. 02, 2025 | Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S. |
| Mar. 26, 2025 | From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on RLS. |
Latest bill textAmended version, March 26, 2025 · 344 words
| Amended IN Senate March 26, 2025 |
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION
Senate Bill
No. 311
| Introduced by Senator Grove (Coauthor: Senator Dahle) |
February 10, 2025 |
An act to add Section 3327 to the Penal Code, relating to correctional facilities.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 311, as amended, Grove. Correctional facilities: sexual violence. women’s prisons.
Existing law requires the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to institute certain practices to prevent sexual violence and promote inmate and ward safety in the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, including reviewing and providing handbooks regarding sexual abuse in detention to inmates and wards. Existing law establishes 2 institutions for the punishment, treatment, supervision, custody, and care of women convicted of felonies, known as the California Institution for Women and the Central California Women’s Facility.
This bill would require the department to establish a secure facility at each women’s prison to house transgender women, in order to protect the security needs of biological women, as specified. The bill would also prohibit certain inmates convicted of specified sexual offenses from being housed at a women’s prison.
This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation to address sexual violence in women’s correctional facilities.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 3327 is added to the Penal Code, to read:3327.
(a) The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation shall establish a secure facility at each women’s prison to house transgender women, in order to protect the security needs of biological women at birth in sleeping and other intimate areas.(b) The secure facility would allow the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to focus on the individual needs of the transgender women and biological women at birth populations.
(c) Any inmate convicted of an offense for which they are required to register pursuant to Section 290, except for biological women at birth, shall be ineligible for housing at a women’s prison.
It is the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation to address sexual violence in women’s correctional facilities.
Text of SB 311 as amended, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions