The constitutional amendment passed swiftly through the legislative process, garnering only three No votes in the Senate and achieving unanimous approval in the Assembly in a single day.
On November’s ballot, voters in California will see a measure aimed at banning forced prison labor and officially outlawing slavery in the state.
Assembly Constitutional Amendment No. 8 proposes changes to the California Constitution to prohibit the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation from penalizing incarcerated individuals for refusing work assignments. It also aims to abolish “slavery in any form.”
“Forced labor has no redeeming qualities and is inconsistent with California’s respect for human dignity,” reads the amendment.
Introduced by Democratic Assemblymember Lori Wilson in February 2023, the measure passed with strong support in the Senate on June 27, with only three opposing votes from Republican Senators Brian Dahle, Roger Niello, and Kelly Seyarto.
The Assembly unanimously passed the measure on the same day with a vote of 68–0.
The potential amendment to the California Constitution is part of the “Reparations Priority Bill Package” introduced by the California Legislative Black Caucus earlier in the year.
While the measure enjoyed broad support from lawmakers, there were contrasting views, with some critics like former California state prison inmate Brian James expressing disagreement with the bill.
The ballot measure requires more than a 50 percent majority vote to pass.
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