SB 337: Prisons.
The bill aims to improve the administration of prisons in California by implementing several reforms. These reforms include: The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation must establish policies and procedures for deactivating body-worn cameras, allowing for confidential interactions and requiring staff to document the reason for deactivation. A person incarcerated in a state prison has the right to request the presence of an advocate during physical or visual body cavity searches, strip searches, or body scans. The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation must document this information. Investigators must disclose any actual or potential conflicts of interest in investigations and recuse themselves if they have a personal relationship with a staff member involved in the investigation. The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation cannot appoint or promote individuals with a h…
| Sep. 27, 2026 | Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 647, Statutes of 2026. |
| Sep. 27, 2026 | Approved by the Governor. |
| Sep. 09, 2026 | Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 2 p.m. |
| Aug. 31, 2026 | Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 39. Noes 0.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling. |
| Aug. 31, 2026 | In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending. |
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
The Legislature finds and declares both of the following:SEC. 2.
Section 289.6 of the Penal Code is amended to read:289.6.
(a) (1) (A) An employee or officer of a public entity health facility, or an employee, officer, or agent of a private person or entity that provides a health facility or staff for a health facility under contract with a public entity, who engages in sexual activity with a consenting adult who is confined in a health facility is guilty of a public offense.SEC. 3.
Section 2608 is added to the Penal Code, to read:2608.
(a) By January 1, 2028, the department shall develop and implement protocols for when an incarcerated person is subject to a nonroutine search or scan, requiring that the staff conducting the search or scan do all of the following:SEC. 4.
Section 2610 is added to the Penal Code, immediately following Section 2608, to read:2610.
Notwithstanding paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 3482 of Title 15 of the California Code of Regulations, a claimant shall submit a routine grievance pursuant to Article 1 (commencing with Section 3480) of Subchapter 5.1 of Chapter 1 of Division 3 of Title 15 of the California Code of Regulations no later than 120 calendar days after discovering an adverse policy, decision, action, condition, or omission by the department.SEC. 5.
Section 2635.1 is added to the Penal Code, to read:2635.1.
(a) The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation shall adopt, and update regularly, a Prison Sexual Violence Elimination policy.SEC. 6.
Section 2639 of the Penal Code is amended to read:2639.
The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation shall ensure that the following procedures are performed in the investigation and prosecution of sexual abuse incidents:SEC. 7.
Section 5003.7 is added to the Penal Code, to read:5003.7.
(a) By July 1, 2027, the department shall establish policies and procedures relating to the implementation and operation of a body-worn camera system that include circumstances under which a body-worn camera may be deactivated. Those circumstances may include, but are not limited to, restroom breaks and confidential departmental meetings or training. The department shall ensure that its policies and procedures reflect a minimum amount of time per shift that a body-worn camera shall be activated and that the body-worn camera shall be activated when interacting with incarcerated persons. The department shall develop audit protocols to ensure compliance with these policies.SEC. 8.
Section 6054 is added to the Penal Code, to read:6054.
(a) Before appointing new employees to any position that may involve contact with incarcerated persons, the department shall do both of the following:SEC. 9.
Section 6065 of the Penal Code is amended to read:6065.
(a) The Legislature finds and declares that investigations of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and its Office of Internal Affairs require appropriately trained personnel who perform their duties with honesty and credibility and without conflict of interest.SEC. 10.
Section 6126.1 is added to the Penal Code, to read:6126.1.
(a) An incarcerated person may file an anonymous grievance relating to an allegation of staff sexual misconduct directly to the Office of the Inspector General.