Prisons: elderly employment.

Assembly Member McKinnor's prison labor reform legislation grants California inmates aged 55 and older, along with those who have mental or physical disabilities, the right to choose their level of participation in prison work programs. The bill modifies existing requirements that mandate labor from all able-bodied prisoners, creating options for eligible inmates to maintain current work levels, reduce their hours, or fully retire from prison labor programs.

The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation would be prohibited from imposing punitive measures against inmates who exercise these new choices. Specifically, the bill bars disciplinary write-ups, security level changes, involuntary transfers between facilities, placement in special housing units, reductions in privileges, or restrictions on voluntary program participation based on an inmate's labor decisions. These protections apply to those in state prisons as well as county and city facilities, including industrial farms and road camps.

The legislation maintains existing provisions for inmate compensation and workers' compensation coverage, particularly for those engaged in fire prevention activities. It preserves the current framework where prisoner earnings contribute to the costs of public services and can be funded through legislative appropriations or other departmental resources. The bill also retains procedures for forfeiture of earnings to the Inmate Welfare Fund in cases of escape.