AMENDED IN SENATE AUGUST 17, 2018

AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 3, 2018

AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 15, 2018

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2017–2018 REGULAR SESSION

94

CHAPTER 764

Statutes of 2018

[ Approved by Governor September 26, 2018. Filed with Secretary of State September 26, 2018. ]

Introduced by Assembly Member Mark Stone

February 14, 2018

An act to add Section 5007.7 to the Penal Code, relating to inmates.

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

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

Existing law authorizes the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to maintain a canteen at any prison or institution under the department’s jurisdiction for the sale of toilet articles and other sundries, as specified. Existing law requires the Secretary of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to deposit any funds of inmates in his or her possession in trust in the Treasury, as specified.

This bill would require that an inmate in a state prison who has maintained an inmate trust account with $25 or less for 30 consecutive days be deemed indigent. The bill would require that an inmate who is indigent receive basic supplies necessary for maintaining personal hygiene and be provided with sufficient resources to communicate with and access the courts, as specified.

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

SECTION 1.

Section 5007.7 is added to the Penal Code, to read:

5007.7.

An inmate who has maintained an inmate trust account with twenty-five dollars ($25) or less for 30 consecutive days shall be deemed indigent. An indigent inmate shall receive basic supplies necessary for maintaining personal hygiene. An indigent inmate shall be provided with sufficient resources to communicate with and access the courts, including, but not limited to, stamps, writing materials, envelopes, paper, and the services of a notary for the purpose of notarizing a signature on a document, as required.