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Keep Families Connected Act 2 would make prison electronic messages free, lift 15-minute call limit
Summary
Sen. Becker's SB 498 would make electronic messaging free in CDCR facilities and remove a 15-minute cap on voice calls; families and advocates described steep costs and emotional harm, and the committee moved the bill to Appropriations (on call).
Senator Becker introduced SB 498, the Keep Families Connected Act 2, to make electronic messaging free and to end the 15‑minute limit on voice calls for people in California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation facilities. Becker said the bill builds on SB 1008 (Keep Families Connected Act 1), which made phone calls free in state prisons, and argued that continuing per‑message costs and short call windows harm rehabilitation and family stability.
"By providing uninterrupted cost‑free phone and digital messaging, we stop punishing families and prioritize what matters," Becker said. KB Bethany of the Change Parallel Project testified in support, describing the financial and emotional strain on her family and saying her household spends "$50 to $100 a month on messages and video chats alone." Bethany urged the committee to consider how small moments—hearing a child’s recital—are lost when calls are truncated by time limits.
Multiple advocacy groups also registered support during the hearing, including Smart Justice California, the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, the California Public Defenders Association, ACLU California Action, San Quentin Skunk Works and the California Alliance for Youth and Community Justice.
Chair Schultz noted implementation rules and committee practice for witness time, and the committee moved the item to the Appropriations Committee with the recommendation to pass; the roll call left the measure "on call" for final tally. The chair and Becker both said they would welcome coauthors if the bill proceeds.
The bill’s sponsors emphasized that electronic communications in CDCR are monitored and that SB 498 is intended to expand access without changing monitoring or security rules. Becker framed the proposal as a rehabilitation tool, saying better family contact reduces recidivism and supports housing and employment planning.
The committee did not adopt amendments on the record during this hearing; next steps are the Appropriations Committee review and any follow‑up hearings where fiscal impacts and implementation details would be examined.
