SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Senate Bill 672, known as the Youth Rehabilitation and Opportunity Act, passed the Senate Appropriations Committee and now moves to the Senate floor for a vote.
Authored by Sen. Susan Rubio, with co-authors Sens. Josh Becker, María Elena Durazo, Caroline Menjivar, and Sasha Renee Perez, the bill seeks to amend Section 3051 of the California Penal Code to expand parole eligibility for individuals sentenced to life without parole (LWOP) for offenses committed before the age of 26.
Grounded in decades of neuroscientific research, the legislation recognizes that brain development—particularly in regions tied to impulse control, decision-making, and risk assessment—continues into a person’s mid-20s. SB 672 does not guarantee release but instead allows for a parole hearing to assess a person’s rehabilitation and risk to public safety after serving at least 25 years.
According to the Felony Murder Elimination Project (FMEP), SB 672 would make individuals eligible for parole consideration if they were 25 or younger at the time of their controlling offense and have served 25 years. The bill applies only to specific cases and maintains several exceptions. Notably, individuals convicted of “special circumstance” murders involving law enforcement officers or federal agents are excluded, as are those convicted of violent sexual offenses, including child abuse and sex trafficking of a minor.
The parole eligibility date is defined as the first day of the individual’s 25th year of incarceration. The California Board of Parole retains full discretion in granting or denying parole based on an individual’s rehabilitation and public safety risk. Victims and their families will continue to be notified of hearings and have the opportunity to participate, in line with current victim rights laws.
SB 672 builds on a series of California laws aimed at reevaluating youth and young adult sentencing. These include SB 260 (2013), which created parole opportunities for those who committed offenses before age 18, SB 261 (2015), and AB 1308 (2017), which expanded the age threshold to 25. However, those sentenced to LWOP between the ages of 18 and 25 remained excluded until SB 672.
A 2018 law, SB 394, extended parole eligibility to those under 18 who received LWOP sentences. SB 672 fills a gap by including young adults between 18 and 25 who were previously ineligible for parole consideration, even as mounting evidence has shown their diminished culpability and capacity for rehabilitation.
The bill also draws on legal precedent from the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Miller v. Alabama and California’s People v. Franklin, both of which acknowledge that youth and young adults are constitutionally different from fully mature adults due to ongoing cognitive development.
Supporters of SB 672 emphasize that it does not promise release or reduce accountability. Sentences must still be served in full, and only those who demonstrate meaningful rehabilitation would be considered for parole. According to studies cited by the bill’s proponents, individuals who participate in long-term rehabilitative programs and serve lengthy prison terms have significantly lower recidivism rates than those serving shorter sentences.
In states like Pennsylvania, where juvenile LWOP sentences have been revisited, data shows that only 1.14% of those resentenced and released have reoffended—a sign that youth given time and support can change and safely reenter society.
The bill’s backers also stress the importance of civic engagement as SB 672 heads to the full Senate. “Keep up your support for SB 672 by writing and calling your district senator to ask for their ‘aye’ vote on the Senate floor,” the FMEP wrote in a recent statement.
SB 672 now awaits a vote on the Senate floor.
“to assess a person’s rehabilitation and risk to public safety after serving at least 25 years.”
What good does this do when Jen Angel’s killer was sentenced to 7 years?