SACRAMENTO, CA – In a notable reversal, Governor Gavin Newsom’s May Revision budget proposal includes the closure of another California state prison by October 2026—a move advocates are calling a critical step toward fiscal responsibility. According to a press release from Sacramento Press List on Wednesday, the updated budget reduces California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) funding by $700 million—an even deeper cut than the $493 million reduction proposed in the January budget.
The May Revision builds upon the earlier proposal by recommending further capacity reductions, including the shutdown of additional prisons, as the state attempts to address a projected $12 billion deficit.
“Given the state’s fiscal situation and the projected decline in the prison population, the May Revision proposes to close one additional prison by October 2026,” the budget reads. “Upon full closure, the state will achieve an estimated savings of about $150 million General Fund annually,” according to the Sacramento Press List.
Amber-Rose Howard, Executive Director of California United for a Responsible Budget (CURB)—a coalition of more than 100 organizations committed to reducing incarceration and expanding community care—expressed cautious optimism. “I’m relieved that Governor Newsom has taken a step in the right direction by announcing an additional prison will close in 2026,” Howard said in the Sacramento Press List release. “In the midst of an extremely difficult political moment, where Californians are suffering budget cuts to life-affirming programs, prison closures are a smart solution to offset some of those cuts.”
The announcement follows years of advocacy from impacted families, community leaders, and fiscal watchdogs. Newsom had previously stated that no additional prison closures were possible, making this reversal a notable shift. However, CURB warned that unless prisons are fully decommissioned, they remain costly liabilities and environmental risks.
The Sacramento Press List cites a recent audit by California’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG), which found that the state’s prisons are dangerously unprepared for climate disasters. Many lack adequate evacuation plans, despite being located in areas prone to wildfires, extreme heat, and flooding.
Although three state prisons have been deactivated since 2021, California has already spent more than $300 million maintaining these shuttered facilities in what is described as “warm shutdown”—meaning the prisons remain staffed, funded, and operational despite being empty.
“This announcement is a necessary step, but it will mean little if closed prisons remain in warm shutdown—wasting public dollars and leaving some of them vulnerable to federal takeover as migrant detention centers,” said Dax Proctor, CURB’s Statewide Coordinator, in the Sacramento Press List release.
CURB is urging the Newsom administration to collaborate with advocates and local communities to ensure that the next prison closure is executed efficiently, transparently, and with long-term community reinvestment in mind.
“California can lead by example at a time when the federal social safety net is under attack,” said Brian Kaneda, Deputy Director of CURB. “I’d love to work with the Governor and Legislature to ensure these savings are reinvested into our communities. It’s vital we demonstrate to Californians that the government can work—and that public dollars are going toward improving the places where they live.”
Advocates view this closure as an opportunity to deepen the state’s commitment to long-term savings and reinvestment. With California’s prison population continuing to decline, many argue that this is the right time to plan for more closures.
Howard echoed this point in a statement included in the Sacramento Press List release: “I strongly encourage the Governor and the California Legislature to think about closing more prisons as the prison population continues on a downward trend. We’ve got to be smart on public safety, and we’ve got to continue to stride toward building a responsible budget.”
Properly closing these facilities, advocates argue, would free up funds to support vital programs facing cuts—such as CalWORKs, which provides home visits, mental health services, and substance use support. The May Revision includes reductions to numerous safety-net programs that serve some of California’s most vulnerable residents.
Advocates maintain that responsible and complete prison closures offer a path forward to reinvest in public health, education, housing, and other foundational services—ensuring the state’s budget decisions reflect care over incarceration.
