SACRAMENTO — Senate Bill 75, authored by Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas and co-sponsored by A New Way of Life Reentry Project, cleared the Assembly Appropriations Committee and is now headed to the Assembly floor.
If passed, the bill would establish the Reentry Pilot Program, combining pre-apprenticeship training in construction trades with prison programs. The effort aims to provide incarcerated people with real opportunities and a pathway to employment, according to a press release from A New Way of Life Reentry Project.
According to the Public Policy Institute of California, among the 35,000 to 40,000 incarcerated people released each year, recidivism stands at 41.9% statewide. Supporters argue that number could be reduced if SB 75 is enacted.
The legislation would require the California Workforce Development Board, in partnership with the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and the Department of Industrial Relations, to jointly launch a reentry model program. The program would be designed to provide support and guidance for previously incarcerated individuals pursuing careers in the skilled trades.
Michael Towler, co-director of A New Way of Life Reentry Project and a co-sponsor of the bill, underscored the importance of expanding employment opportunities. “Lack of access to employment is one of the primary drivers of recidivism, therefore creating more victims of crime,” Towler said.
He added, “By preparing incarcerated individuals with real career pathways and skills to succeed upon returning to their communities, we’re not only setting them up for success, but we’re setting California up for safer communities.”
If signed into law, the bill would require the program to establish the Preapprenticeship Pathways to Employment Pilot Program by Jan. 1, 2028, and continue through Jan. 1, 2032. It would combine the nationally recognized Multi-Craft Core Curriculum with joint apprenticeship training committees to ensure industry relevance, the press release said.
The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation would be required to launch the program in one men’s facility and one women’s facility. Beginning Jan. 1, 2029, the department must also submit annual reports to the Legislature detailing participation, completion, and outcomes.
According to the press release, this accountability requirement would enforce transparency of results. Bringing training directly into prisons is intended to benefit not only incarcerated individuals but also the communities they return to after release, the program’s release said.
Follow the Vanguard on Social Media – X, Instagram and Facebook. Subscribe the Vanguard News letters. To make a tax-deductible donation, please visit davisvanguard.org/donate or give directly through ActBlue. Your support will ensure that the vital work of the Vanguard continues.
