Prison Bill Passed by Senate

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KCBS) -- Governor Schwarzenegger will likely sign a bill approved by the Legislature Friday night that will reduce the state's prison population by 16,000 inmates.

The plan approved by the State Senate is a compromise.

A previous measure would have slashed the state's prison population by as many as 27,000 inmates.

KCBS' Chris Filippi Reports

State Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg said this bill focuses on parole reform.

"Parole agents in California who currently have an average caseload of about 70; that will be reduced to about 45," Steinberg said. "And will save a lot of money at the same time. So, I think that's very positive for public safety."

The bill also reduces some property crimes from felonies to misdemeanors as well as expands early release credits.

But Republican Senator Roy Ashburn said this plan fails to address the real problem.

"The reason that we have increasing costs in running our prisons is because the federal government has said that prisoners are going to get very expensive medical care," Ashburn said. "That's the issue we ought to be dealing with, not putting dangerous people back on the streets."

A federal court has ordered California to reduce its prison population by 40,000 over the next two years.

That ruling will likely be appealed by the Schwarzenegger Administration.

(kmi)