Thread by @Taniel

Gavin Newsom this week signed or vetoed a big flurry of bills having to do with criminal justice & prison. You may have seen some headlines (solitary reform vetoed; free phone calls), but it's hard to keep track.

So here's a thread on 13 of the biggest, & why they matter. ⬇

1️⃣ Gavin Newsom SIGNED a bill to make phone calls free from prison.

"High cost of prison phone calls has sapped money from low-income families with incarcerated loved ones.... [many] go in debt in their attempt to maintain contact with loved ones" #SB1008
protocol.com/bulletins/cali…

2️⃣ Newsom SIGNED a bill to expand California's 'compassionate release' program, which will help people leave prison when terminally ill.

With very long sentencing, so many people are condemned to die in prison. This is chip into that. #AB960 boltsmag.org/california-leg…

3️⃣ Newsom signed a bill that bans criminal investigations & prosecutions of pregnancy loss, stillbirths, miscarriages.

The bill is a response to the prosecution of two women in red part of California, as previewed here. #AB2223 boltsmag.org/california-pre…

4️⃣ Newsom SIGNED a bill that will "vacate the death sentences of people who have become permanently incompetent."

(Note: Newsom has imposed a moratorium on executions since 2019, but California retains a large death row.) #AB2657

Context: deathpenaltyinfo.org/news/californi…

5️⃣Newsom SIGNED a bill to decriminalize jaywalking in Caliornia. 

Data has shown that "Black Californians are up to 4.5 times more likely to be stopped for jaywalking than those who are white." #AB2147 latimes.com/california/sto…

6️⃣ Newsom SIGNED a bill to allow people with criminal convictions to petition for relief on the basis of racial bias in their case. The law expands on the Racial Justice Act that passed in 2020, making it retroactive. #AB256

Context: davisvanguard.org/2022/10/govern…

7️⃣ Newsom SIGNED a law that will restrict the use of rap lyrics as evidence in trial, needing the court to weigh against "the substantial danger of undue prejudice." #AB2799

variety.com/2022/music/new…

8️⃣ Newsom SIGNED a law to expand record sealing for people with convictions.

#SB971 (which won't fully expunge & has many carve-outs) will help the millions of Californians who face barriers to employment or housing due to a past arrest or conviction. sfchronicle.com/politics/artic…

9️⃣ Newsom SIGNED a law that will prevent the disclosure of someone' simmigrant status in open court unless specifically authorized by a judge.

That's #SB836. Newsom also signed a separate law to expand eligibility for California IDs: latimes.com/california/sto…

[Okay, on to vetoes.]

1️⃣0️⃣ Newsom VETOED a bill that'd have increased the ‘allowance’ people receive upon release from prison to help re-entry. It's been at $200 for decades.

Here’s a preview of the bill: theguardian.com/us-news/2022/f…

1️⃣1️⃣ Newsom VETOED a bill meant to forgive parking tickets for Californians who prove they have been homeless. #AB1685 was a push by anti-poverty advocates looking to break cycles of debt. latimes.com/california/sto…

1️⃣2️⃣ Newsom VETOED the Saving Lives in Custody, that was meant to set up minimum mental health care standards in jails: sandiegouniontribune.com/news/watchdog/…

#AB2343 was in response to the terrible conditions & series of deaths in the San Diego jail. More on those: boltsmag.org/san-diego-sher…

1️⃣3️⃣ Newsom VETOED a bill that would have restricted the use of solitary confinement in California.

#AB2632 would have brought the use of solitary within the 'Mandela standards,' beyond which U.N. defines it as torture. latimes.com/california/sto…

I’ll stop here because those are the 13 I had eyes on & can find coverage for context. Sign up to our Bolts newsletter for more Tuesday: boltsmag.org/newsletter

For those who want to dig more, well, there’s more: E.g.: He signed #AB1803, #AB2417, #AB2195, #AB990, vetoed #AB503.

I said I was done, but let me add at least 3 bills.

1️⃣4️⃣ Newsom SIGNED a bill that mandates sheriffs & jails disclose people who die in jail. #AB2761

This is a reaction of grave secrecy around jail deaths. (But put this side-by-side with veto of #12). sacbee.com/news/politics-…

1️⃣5️⃣ Newsom SIGNED a bill to move most* DA-sheriff races from midterm to presidential years, for higher turnout. #AB759

This means ppl already elected this year will serve *6* years rather than 4, weirdly. gvwire.com/2022/09/22/fre…

(*SF, LA, Santa Clara, San Bernadino exempted)

1️⃣6️⃣ Newsom SIGNED a bill to counter flawed forensic science. It will allow ppl condemned under expert testimony that was based on discredited or disputed ideas to challenge their convictions & get relief.

You can find more information about #SB467 here: losangelesblade.com/2022/09/30/cal…