What’s going on with justice issues in California in 2025?
California passed several laws in 2024 aimed at retail theft and voters approved Proposition 36 in November, a measure to reclassify some misdemeanor theft and drug crimes as felonies. This year, some lawmakers are pressing the Newsom administration to fund programs that would support those changes. Several other key bills center on conditions in prisons, including measures to increase pay for incarcerated workers and support rehabilitation.
CalMatters justice team:
- Editor Adam Ashton, [email protected]
- Justice Reporter Nigel Duara, [email protected]
- Justice Reporter Cayla Mihalovich, [email protected]
Quick Facts
- Prison: There are about 94,000 inmates in prison, down from 124,000 in January 2020.
- Guns: California’s is among the lowest states in the deaths by gun, just more than half the US average.
- Opioids: Opioid overdoses increased 121% between 2019 and 2021.
- Race: Blacks and Latinos represent about 38% of the population but drivers accounted for 55% of police stops
Justice Bills
In Focus
Here are all of the justice-related bills considered this session with the highlighted bills identified by CalMatters as among the most significant in 2024.
Roosters: restrictions.Committee: Assembly Standing Committee on Agriculture
SB 747
Civil rights: deprivation of federal constitutional rights, privileges, and immunities.
In Progress Committee: Senate Standing Committee on Labor, Public Employment and Retirement
Civil rights: deprivation of federal constitutional rights, privileges, and immunities.Committee: Senate Standing Committee on Labor, Public Employment and Retirement
Juveniles: delinquency.Committee: Senate Standing Committee on Public Safety
SB 414
School accountability: Office of the Education Inspector General: school financial and performance audits: charter school authorization, oversight, funding, operations, and networks: flex-based instruction: local educational agency contracting.
In Progress Committee: Senate Standing Committee on Education
SB 540
Independent System Operator: independent regional organization: California Renewables Portfolio Standard Program.
In Progress Committee: Senate Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Communications
Independent System Operator: independent regional organization: California Renewables Portfolio Standard Program.Committee: Senate Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Communications
SB 601
Water: waste discharge.
In Progress Committee: Senate Standing Committee on Environmental Quality
Water: waste discharge.Committee: Senate Standing Committee on Environmental Quality
Key Players
Legislative Leaders
These are the key legislative leaders on justice issues as identified by CalMatters.
Tom Umberg
District 34, Santa Ana
Scott Wiener
District 11, San Francisco
Jesse Arreguín
District 7, Oakland
Kelly Seyarto
District 32, Murrieta
Lori Wilson
District 11, Suisun City
Tom Lackey
District 34, Palmdale
Nick Schultz
District 44, Burbank
Juan Alanis
District 22, Modesto
Non-Legislator leaders
These are the people who have been most active on justice legislation based on their testimony in a hearing or the number of positions they have taken on related bills.
