BILL ANALYSIS ------------------------------------------------------------ |SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SB 525| |Office of Senate Floor Analyses | | |1020 N Street, Suite 524 | | |(916) 651-1520 Fax: (916) | | |327-4478 | | ------------------------------------------------------------ THIRD READING Bill No: SB 525 Author: Padilla (D) Amended: 12/16/09 Vote: 21 SENATE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE : 7-0, 1/12/10 AYES: Leno, Cedillo, Hancock, Huff, Steinberg, Wright, Cogdill SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : Senate Rule 28.8 SUBJECT : Cell phones and wireless communications devices in prisons SOURCE : Author DIGEST : This bill provides that (1) except as authorized, any person, except as provided, who possesses with the intent to deliver, or delivers, to an inmate or ward in the custody of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), any cellular telephone or other wireless communication device, is guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine not to exceed $5,000 for each such device; (2) notwithstanding the provisions stated above, when any person visiting an inmate in the custody of the CDCR who, upon being searched or subjected to a metal detector, is found to be in possession of a cellular telephone or other wireless communication device, that device shall be subject to confiscation; and (3) notice of this provision shall be posted in all areas where visitors CONTINUED SB 525 Page 2 are searched prior to visitation with an inmate in the custody of the CDCR. ANALYSIS : Existing law provides the conditions under which inmates in state prisons may make telephone calls. CDCR is required to provide inmate telephones for use by general population inmates. Inmates may place collect telephone calls to persons outside the facility at designated times and on designated telephones, as set forth in local procedures. Limitations may be placed on the frequency and length of such calls based on the inmate's privilege group as specified, and to ensure equal access. (15 Cal. Code of Regs. Section 3282(b).) Existing law provides that inmates may possess only the personal property, materials, supplies, items, commodities and substances, up to the maximum amount, received or obtained from authorized sources, as permitted in these regulations. Possession of contraband as defined in Section 3000 may result in disciplinary action and confiscation of the contraband. (15 Cal. Code of Regs. Section 3006.) Existing law defines "contraband" in a prison as "anything which is not permitted, in excess of the maximum quantity permitted, or received or obtained from an unauthorized source." (15 Cal. Code of Regs. Section 3000.) This bill provides that, except as otherwise authorized by law, or when authorized by the person in charge of the prison or other institution subject to this section, or by an officer of the institution empowered to give that authorization, except as noted below, any person who possesses with the intent to deliver, to an inmate or ward in the custody of the CDCR, any cellular telephone or other wireless communication device, is guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine not to exceed $5,000 for each such device. This bill provides that, notwithstanding the provisions stated above, when any person visiting an inmate in the custody of the CDCR who, upon being searched or subjected to a metal detector, is found to be in possession of a cellular telephone or other wireless communication device, CONTINUED SB 525 Page 3 that device shall be subject to confiscation. Notice of this provision shall be posted in all areas where visitors are searched prior to visitation with an inmate in the custody of the CDCR. Prior Legislation SB 434 (Benoit) - 2009-10 Session - Passed the Senate on 5/6/09 with a vote of 35-0. Currently on suspense in Assembly Appropriations Committee. FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes Local: Yes SUPPORT : (Verified 1/19/10) Association of California Cities Allied with Prison California Correctional Peace Officers Association California Correctional Supervisors Organization Taxpayers for Improving Public Safety ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : According to the author's office, "Cell phones in a prison pose an obvious security threat. While many inmates might try to gain access to a cell phone just to communicate with friends or family members, others could include gang-related activity ranging from drug dealing to murder. CDCR has provided the following data to indicate the number of cell phones recovered in state prisons in the last three years: -------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | Institution | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | | | | | | |-------------+-----------+------------+-----------| |ASP | | | | | | 3 |34 |393 | |-------------+-----------+------------+-----------| |CAL | | | | | | 2 |16 |103 | |-------------+-----------+------------+-----------| |CCC | | | | | | 4 | 3 | 1 | |-------------+-----------+------------+-----------| CONTINUED SB 525 Page 4 |CCI | | | | | | 1 | 2 | -- | |-------------+-----------+------------+-----------| |CCWF | | | | | | 0 | 1 | -- | |-------------+-----------+------------+-----------| |CEN | | | | | | 0 | 2 | 42 | |-------------+-----------+------------+-----------| |CIM | | | | | | 3 | 6 | 26 | |-------------+-----------+------------+-----------| |CIW | | | | | | 1 | 2 | -- | |-------------+-----------+------------+-----------| |CMC | | | | | | 0 | 10 | 14 | |-------------+-----------+------------+-----------| |CMF | | | | | | 1 | 7 | 28 | |-------------+-----------+------------+-----------| |COR | | | | | | 0 | 5 | -- | |-------------+-----------+------------+-----------| |CRC | | | | | | 5 | 8 | 24 | |-------------+-----------+------------+-----------| |CTF | | | | | | 45 |130 |315 | |-------------+-----------+------------+-----------| |CVSP | | | | | | 1 | 47 |155 | |-------------+-----------+------------+-----------| |DVI | | | | | | 0 | 1 | 5 | |-------------+-----------+------------+-----------| |FSP | | | | | | 0 | 27 |144 | |-------------+-----------+------------+-----------| |HDSP | | | | | | 1 | 1 | -- | |-------------+-----------+------------+-----------| |ISP | | | | | | 3 | 4 |173 | CONTINUED SB 525 Page 5 |-------------+-----------+------------+-----------| |KVSP | | | | | | 10 | 31 | -- | |-------------+-----------+------------+-----------| |LAC | | | | | | 0 | 1 | 11 | |-------------+-----------+------------+-----------| |MCSP | | | | | | 0 | 0 | 1 | |-------------+-----------+------------+-----------| |NKSP | | | | | | 0 | 2 | 4 | |-------------+-----------+------------+-----------| |PBSP | | | | | | 0 | 2 | 0 | |-------------+-----------+------------+-----------| |PVSP | | | | | | 4 | 5 | 10 | |-------------+-----------+------------+-----------| |RJD | | | | | | 0 | 4 | 27 | |-------------+-----------+------------+-----------| |SAC | | | | | | 29 | 12 | -- | |-------------+-----------+------------+-----------| |SATF | | | | | | 1 | 6 | 31 | |-------------+-----------+------------+-----------| |SCC | | | | | | 20 | 30 | 59 | |-------------+-----------+------------+-----------| |SOL | | | | | |102 |553 |801 | |-------------+-----------+------------+-----------| |SQ | | | | | | 5 | 9 | 11 | |-------------+-----------+------------+-----------| |SVSP | | | | | | 20 | 31 | -- | |-------------+-----------+------------+-----------| |VSPW | | | | | | 0 | 8 | -- | |-------------+-----------+------------+-----------| |WSP | | | | CONTINUED SB 525 Page 6 | | 0 | 2 | -- | |-------------+-----------+------------+-----------| | | | | | | TOTAL | | | | | |261 |992 |2629 | | | | | | -------------------------------------------------- RJG:cm 1/20/10 Senate Floor Analyses SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE **** END **** CONTINUED