Parriva
Last Friday, 13 of Assemblymember Chris Holden's bills passed the Senate Committee on Appropriations. “As we approach these final steps in the legislative process, I am thrilled to see my bills reach this step, as I know they will enhance the lives of so many constituents. I am confident my bills will serve the direct and future needs and concerns of Californians,” Holden said.
According to Vanessa Ramos, an activist for the California Mandela Campaign, says that "The use of prolonged solitary confinement is heavily regulated in virtually every modern country in the world, and has been recognized as torture by the United Nations. Despite these facts, the United States and California have yet to pass meaningful reforms on this issue.
"The good news is that the California legislature is currently reviewing a new law that would limit the use of solitary confinement for everyone to 15 days, and completely ban the practice for pregnant people, disabled people, and people in vulnerable age groups. The bill , AB 280, the California Mandela Act by Asm. Chris Holden, would cover jails, prisons and private detention facilities make California one of the leaders on this important issue."
A coalition of organizations focused on criminal justice, immigration detention and disability rights have come together in solidarity to sponsor AB 2632 (Holden) the California Mandela Act on Solitary Confinement. The legislation builds on growing momentum generated by recent bills passed on solitary confinement in Colorado and New York, and is inspired by the United Nations Nelson Mandela Rules, which defines prolonged solitary confinement as torture.
The bill, authored by Assemblymember Chris Holden, is focused on one of the most important human rights issues of our time: solitary confinement. The bill, which defines solitary confinement as any period of confinement that exceeds 17 hours in a cell, mandates that facilities document any instance in which solitary is used, and places limits on the duration any person can be held in this manner. The bill also bans the use of solitary confinement for certain populations including people who are pregnant, have disabilities, or fall within certain age limits.
The use of solitary confinement in jails, prisons and immigration detention facilities has been a common practice for decades, with horrific consequences for those detained. While too many to list here, some of the most compelling stories include people who have been held in solitary for decades, allegations that a woman held in solitary gave birth alone at the Santa Rita Jail in 2018, and numerous reports demonstrating the link between suicide and solitary confinement.
This harm has only been exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic, with facilities increasing their use of restrictive lockdowns that deprive individuals of social contact and basic human dignity. Advocates are particularly moved to seek justice for those who have been harmed or lost their lives during solitary confinement. This includes Choung Woong Ahn, a 74-year-old Korean immigrant who was found dead after being placed in solitary confinement at the Mesa Verde Detention facility, used to detain immigrants by the for-profit GEO Group.
AB 280 would allow California to join other states including New York and Colorado in ending solitary confinement for specific populations, and join the international community in recognizing that solitary confinement constitutes torture and put a limit on how long any individual can be held in isolation.
“My goal is always to service my community above all else. I believe these bills exemplify my due diligence in achieving that goal, by creating solutions to solve key issues, developing roadmaps for new innovations and improved functionality, and generating a pathway for equal opportunity. I will continue to work with my colleagues in the Legislature and Governor Newsom to fully implement these measures,” Holden said.
