Senator Menjivar champions SB 337 to enhance safety in California women's prisons

The Assembly Public Safety Committee convened on June 17, 2025, to discuss Senate Bill 337, authored by Senator Menjivar, aimed at reforming the reporting and investigation processes related to abuse within California's correctional facilities. The bill seeks to enhance accountability and transparency, particularly concerning staff misconduct and the treatment of incarcerated individuals.

April Grayson, representing the Sisterware Freedom Coalition, expressed strong support for SB 337, highlighting its provisions to improve oversight of body camera usage and to document invasive searches that incarcerated individuals often endure. Grayson emphasized the need for real-time advocacy during searches, which can be traumatic and excessive, leading many to refuse visits from family members due to fear of humiliation.

The committee heard a series of supportive testimonies from various organizations, including the LA Public Defenders Union and the ACLU California Action, all advocating for the bill's passage as a necessary step toward protecting vulnerable populations in prisons.

However, the meeting also featured significant opposition. Beth Born from Cause raised concerns regarding the inclusion of transgender women in women's prisons, arguing that this could exacerbate safety issues for female inmates. Born's testimony was met with pushback from committee members who asserted that the bill's focus was on addressing staff misconduct rather than the broader issues of inmate classification.

Assemblymember Harvidian questioned the relevance of the opposition's arguments, clarifying that the bill's intent was to tackle the high rates of abuse perpetrated by staff against incarcerated individuals, which has reportedly increased to 68% according to recent reports.

The committee ultimately moved to support SB 337, with a unanimous vote of 9-0, sending the bill to the Appropriations Committee for further consideration. The discussions underscored the complexities surrounding prison reform, particularly the balance between ensuring safety for all inmates while addressing systemic issues of abuse and misconduct within the correctional system.