California Correctional Peace Officers Association

Three bills to boost benefits and pay for California police officers and firefighters are progressing in the Legislature with bipartisan support, but their high costs may challenge approval by Gov. Gavin Newsom. The proposals include lowering the retirement age for public safety workers to 55, creating deferred retirement programs, and raising firefighter pay, with potential annual costs exceeding $282 million and long-term liabilities of $4.8 billion.

California prisons are limiting access to rehabilitative programs for incarcerated people as the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation restricts overtime spending. Programs like college classes and civic education have been disrupted, with the rollback set to end on June 30. The state’s $18 billion annual corrections budget remains flat despite recent prison closures.