SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A broad package of human rights and consumer protection legislation authored by state Sen. Sasha Renée Pérez, including a measure aimed at holding private immigration detention facilities accountable for alleged inhumane conditions, passed unanimously in the California Senate this week.
Legislation introduced by Pérez, intending to hold private immigration detention facilities accountable for egregious conditions, passed unanimously through the California State Senate along with eight other bills.
According to a news release from the senator’s office, the Masuma Kahn Justice Act (SB 995) “would establish a statewide inspection and compliance framework for large involuntary residential facilities, including privately operated detention facilities.”
According to the news release, the bill passed on a 39-0 vote and centers on the inhumane conditions of California immigration detention centers.
“People held in privately operated facilities are being served moldy or undercooked food, given limited access to clean water, and provided inadequate and delayed medical care.”
“With a strong and unified voice, the California State Senate has declared that this is not a partisan issue, but an urgent human rights concern. This bill is rooted in the simple principle that if detention centers operate in California, they must meet California’s standards,” said Pérez.
The bill highlights growing immigration concerns among lawmakers across the country.
The news release describes eight additional bills authored by Pérez.
All of the bills passed through the Senate, two with bipartisan support.
SB 877, SB 878 and SB 1090 directly respond to the aftermath of the Eaton Fire, aiming to protect homeowners from corporate overreach and corporate buyouts during vulnerable recovery periods.
SB 877, the Fair Claims Practices and Transparency Act, passed with bipartisan support and would require insurers to provide homeowners with all loss estimate materials and revisions so policyholders can clearly understand how claim payouts are calculated after disasters such as the Eaton Fire.
SB 878, the Insurance Payment Accountability Act, would strengthen prompt-payment laws by imposing penalties for delayed insurance claim decisions or payments, requiring written explanations for disputed items and ensuring timely payment of undisputed claims.
SB 1090 focuses on protecting communities and consumers by restricting large property owners from making unsolicited purchases in fire-affected areas such as Altadena and by establishing safeguards to prevent investor-owned utilities from overspending at ratepayers’ expense.
SB 1103 and SB 1105 establish safeguards against federal overreach, specifically targeting protections for immigrant communities and communities of color.
SB 1103, the REPAIR Act, targets large home improvement retailers, which are often hubs for day laborers.
It mandates public reporting of on-premises immigration enforcement, surveillance-sharing policies and employee interactions with federal agents.
SB 1105, the Protect California Rights Act, explicitly blocks state and local law enforcement from participating in federal operations that violate California’s state-level protections against racial profiling and the criminalization of protected speech.
SB 957 and SB 1083 focus on transparency regarding data privacy and protecting everyday consumers from utility cost spikes.
SB 957, the SHIELD Act, would require social media companies to notify users when the federal government seeks their personal information through administrative subpoenas.
SB 1083, which passed with bipartisan support, expands protections for students by strengthening misconduct reporting and investigation rules, setting vetting standards for contractors working with students and creating a review process for classified employees added to the statewide misconduct tracking system.
“I am proud to advance this diverse legislative package, which puts forward a range of solutions to strengthen transparency and accountability for utility actions impacting ratepayers, protect vulnerable communities, and confront the federal government’s ever-expanding overreach that infringes on our constitutional rights,” said Pérez.
Pérez’s legislative package now advances to the Assembly as a sweeping effort to strengthen accountability, protect vulnerable communities and uphold the rights and dignity of Californians across the state.
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