Dear John, 

We’re thrilled AB 505 was signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom!  

AB 505 ensures incarcerated youth can talk to a Youth Ombudsperson within 24 hours, instead of 48 after a complaint is made inside the juvenile hall. AB 505 also strengthens oversight by the Office of Youth and Community Restoration (OYCR) and requires judges to inspect all Secure Youth Treatment Facilities.  

ARC members were at the forefront of the advocacy victory. Our members met with legislators in the Senate and Assembly to ensure young people can understand their rights and speak to an Ombudsperson sooner. ARC members know how this win support youth in juvenile hall who need a lifeline and someone to watch over them in times of duress and need. 

                 

ARC member Angel Hernandez attended legislative visits, sharing his story with elected officials. He shares what passing AB505 means to him and incarcerated youth: 

"Working on AB505 gave me a purpose in trying to give back to young kids who are incarcerated all over California because I once was in their shoes, and I know how it feels to not have your voice heard, and it hurts to see how they treat us, we are humans as well, and I want to thank Governor Newsom and the California legislature for passing this bill." 

                 

We are grateful to the Governor, the California Assembly and Senators who helped push AB 505 ahead, Assemblymember Phil Ting for championing this bill and our many partners across the state for helping us to pass this important bill.  

This year has been a difficult year as many of our other state priorities didn’t make it this far. Our advocacy team has begun to look at possibilities and priorities for next year. We will meet and listen to our members to understand how we can continue to help formerly incarcerated people in California.   

Still, we are hopeful about the future as prisons in California have begun to close, and the prison population continues to decrease. Now we are holding SB 731 expungement clinics across California so formerly incarcerated people can begin to clear their records.  

John, please consider making a gift to support our advocacy work, so that we can help pass more bills like this — ones that support currently incarcerated people and make a real difference to our family inside. Thank you for considering this; these wins are all our successes, and we’re honored to be in this fight with you.

Sincerely,

Sam Lewis
Executive Director
Anti-Recidivism Coalition