LSPC Policy Fellows reflect on their visit to the CA State Capitol. Read their stories below.
Insights
by Nedric Miller, 2025 Elder Freeman Policy Fellow
“I learned that racism, like most systems of oppression, isn’t about bad people doing terrible things to people who are different from them but instead is a way of maintaining power for certain groups at the expense of others.” ― Alicia Garza
The capitol visit was very eye opening to me on the day of March 11th, we attended the hearing for AB 247 and AB 248 this to me was groundbreaking while many may have seen it as a budget ask, I myself saw it as a large fragment being torn away from a society’s view and naive notions of stigma cast upon those suffering through incarceration. All are human and deserve to be treated as such regardless of their mistakes, immaturity, or misguidance. I myself grew up behind that wall and everyday ask to be seen as a human, but at the same time knowing it was far from reach with a voice that could never be echoed. The importance of LSPC/AOUON’s presence in the capitol was monumental.
Equality and equity are principles fought for by this organization and to see it manifest and materialize directly and indirectly speaks volumes to all that comes in contact. The presence of giving back in a tangible manner to those in our community and those suffering incarceration is power that will continue to grow and create value as once done by generations before us. This is why I’m proud to assemble with the Elder Freeman Policy Fellows to tackle the machine that has been created to inhibit a People, Community, and Class from their natural ability and power.
My Public Statement
by Daniella Dane, 2025 Elder Freeman Policy Fellow
One of the main goals of my visit to the Capitol on March 11th was to support AB 248 which was authored by Senator Issac Bryan. I spoke in front of the Public Safety Committee to advocate for the bill to successfully move to the Appropriations Committee. I testified on behalf of both myself and Legal Services for Prisoners with Children. This bill will not only positively impact incarcerated individuals but also their families, children and the entire community. I believe most people would be unable to fathom losing their significant other, along with the income they provided to the household, as well as their emotional support and entire presence. They would also be in disbelief over their newly acquired expenses, as they now have to pay for a loved one’s overpriced hygiene products, medication, and other necessities sold in the prison commissary. Providing individuals with the opportunity to save money while imprisoned will also aid in reducing recidivism. In 2024, almost 56,000 people who were employed in county jails received little to no pay. Currently, Penal Code 4019.3 does not allow imprisoned individuals in county jails to earn more than $2.00 per 8-hour workday. This legislation would repeal Penal Code 4019.3 and allow individual counties to choose the wages that incarcerated individuals in county jails receive. This bill is a small step toward achieving equality and humanizing people who are currently imprisoned. Not providing prisoners with adequate pay while forcing them to work is essentially slave labor, and this legislation seeks to combat that issue. It will also help incarcerated individuals support themselves financially and become less of a financial burden on their families, who already lose a source of income when a loved one is incarcerated. Again the heart of this bill is to help restore some of the human and civil rights that incarcerated individuals are deprived of.
Fighting for Justice:
The Importance of AB 1279
by Nateel Sharma, 2025 Elder Freeman Policy Fellow
This past Tuesday, I had the opportunity to attend the Public Safety Committee hearing at the Capitol, where I advocated for AB 1279 (Sharp-Collins/Pathways to Justice and Juvenile Three Strikes). This bill is critical because it would eliminate juvenile strikes from being used to enhance future adult sentences. It would also allow individuals to petition for resentencing if a past juvenile strike contributed to their adult conviction.
I was there to support this bill because the current law unfairly punishes people for mistakes they made as children. Juveniles do not have the same decision-making abilities as adults, yet California’s Three Strikes law treats them as if they do by using their juvenile offenses to increase adult prison sentences. Many people serving long or life sentences under Three Strikes laws were first introduced to the justice system as kids who needed support, not punishment. By removing juvenile strikes from adult sentencing, AB 1279 recognizes that people can grow and change.
This bill aligns closely with the mission of Legal Services for Prisoners with Children (LSPC), which fights for the rights of incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people. LSPC has long advocated for sentencing reform, rehabilitation, and the fair treatment of system-impacted individuals. AB 1279 follows this vision by ensuring that a person’s past as a child does not define their future.
Advocating for this bill matters because it’s about justice, fairness, and the belief that people deserve a second chance. California has begun to move away from harsh sentencing policies, and AB 1279 is another step in undoing the damage caused by the Three Strikes law. This bill would bring hope to many individuals serving extreme sentences and create a more just and rehabilitative legal system.
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