AMENDED IN SENATE AUGUST 29, 2025

AMENDED IN SENATE MAY 29, 2025

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

95

CHAPTER 711

Statutes of 2025

[ Approved by Governor October 13, 2025. Filed with Secretary of State October 13, 2025. ]

Introduced by Assembly Member Celeste Rodriguez

(Coauthors: Assembly Members Bryan and Elhawary)

February 18, 2025

An act to add Section 2780.6 to the Penal Code, relating to prisons.

Vote: majority   Appropriation: no   Fiscal committee: yes   Local program: no

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

Existing law establishes the California Conservation Camps for the purpose of having incarcerated persons work on projects supervised by the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Existing law requires the department to utilize incarcerated persons assigned to conservation camps in performing fire prevention, fire control, and other work of the department. Existing law allows an incarcerated individual, as specified, who has successfully participated in either a California Conservation Camp program or a county program as an incarcerated individual hand crew member, as determined by specified authorities, and has been released from custody, to file a petition for relief with a court.

This bill would require the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to pay a death benefit, as specified, for the death of any incarcerated individual hand crew members in the California Conservation Camp program, as specified.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 2780.6 is added to the Penal Code, to read:

2780.6.

(a) Notwithstanding paragraph (9) of subdivision (a) of Section 3370 of the Labor Code, the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, shall, pursuant to subdivision (b), pay a death benefit in an amount calculated pursuant to subdivision (c) for the death of any state prison incarcerated individual hand crew member assigned to the California Conservation Camp program.

(b) The death benefit shall be paid within 60 days of the death of an incarcerated individual hand crew member to the beneficiary designated by the crew member to receive the death benefit if the crew member dies during any of the following circumstances:

(1) During, and resulting from, the performance of their duties on an active deployment.

(2) During, and resulting from, the performance of their duties completing firefighter Conservation Camp training exercises.

(3) While physically or mentally incapacitated due to and resulting from their performance of their duties as described in paragraph (1) or (2).

(c) The death benefit shall be the sum of the following amounts:

(1) Fifty thousand dollars ($50,000).

(2) An amount equal to 50 percent of the annual compensation earned by the deceased crew member during the 12 months immediately preceding the death of the crew member.