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California bills · 2025-2026 Regular Session

California AB 2434

Inmates: visitation.

  1. Introduced
  2. In committee
  3. Passed House
  4. Passed Senate
  5. To Governor
  6. Became law

Sponsors

Cosponsors (5)

Summary

Official abstract published by the California legislature· summary

Existing law requires the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, when amending or adopting regulations that may impact the visitation of inmates, to recognize and consider the value of visiting as a means to improve prison safety, the important role of inmate visitation in maintaining connection with family and community, and the role of inmate visitation in preparing for successful release. This bill would require each facility, as defined, to establish at least 3 days of visitation per week. The bill would require a facility, if it will not be open for visitation, to provide notice to the impacted population as soon as possible. The bill would authorize a facility to deny contact visits only for specified reasons, including, among others, possession of contraband or pending or sustained rules violations that result in a restricted housing unit term. The bill would require facility staff to take specified actions with regard to correctable issues with a visitation, including, among other things, allowing the visitor a reasonable opportunity to correct the issue and return to visiting up to one hour before the end of the visiting period. The bill would prohibit denial of visitation if a visitor has traveled more than 170 miles to attend a visit and has not visited within 30 days, unless there has been a finding of a credible and documented security threat. The bill would prohibit a facility from searching visitors without their voluntary, informed, and written consent. The bill would authorize a facility to respond to refusal of that search only with denial of contact visiting for that day, and would require the facility to offer a noncontact visit on the same day, if space is available. The bill would authorize other restrictions and procedures for searches of visitors, as specified.

Text versions

Roll-call votes

State vote data last updated Oct 14, 2026, 8:01 AM.

DateVoteResultYour legislators
Aug 31, 2026
House		AB 2434 Bonta Concurrence in Senate AmendmentspassSet your home in California to see
Aug 30, 2026
Senate		3rd Reading AB2434 Bonta et al. By CaballeropassSet your home in California to see
Aug 13, 2026
Senate		Do pass as amendedpassSet your home in California to see
Aug 3, 2026
Senate		Placed on suspense filepassSet your home in California to see
Jun 23, 2026
Senate		Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]passSet your home in California to see
May 27, 2026
House		AB 2434 Bonta Assembly Third ReadingpassSet your home in California to see
May 14, 2026
House		Do pass as amended.passSet your home in California to see
Apr 14, 2026
House		Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]passSet your home in California to see

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