20250ACR_017699INT INTRODUCED 2026-04-15 REVISED 2026-04-30 2025 ACR INT Introduced by Assembly Member Elhawary (Coauthors: Assembly Members Addis, Ahrens, Alanis, Alvarez, Arambula, Ávila Farías, Bains, Bauer-Kahan, Bennett, Berman, Boerner, Bryan, Caloza, Carrillo, Castillo, Chen, Connolly, Davies, Dixon, Fong, Gabriel, Garcia, Gipson, Jeff Gonzalez, Mark González, Haney, Harabedian, Hart, Irwin, Jackson, Johnson, Kalra, Krell, Lee, Lowenthal, McKinnor, Muratsuchi, Nguyen, Ortega, Pacheco, Papan, Patel, Pellerin, Petrie-Norris, Quirk-Silva, Ramos, Ransom, Rivas, Michelle Rodriguez, Rogers, Blanca Rubio, Schiavo, Solache, Soria, Ta, Valencia, Wallis, Ward, Wicks, Wilson, and Zbur) LEAD_AUTHOR ASSEMBLY Elhawary COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Addis COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Ahrens COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Alanis COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Alvarez COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Arambula COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Ávila Farías COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Bains COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Bauer-Kahan COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Bennett COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Berman COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Boerner COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Bryan COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Caloza COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Carrillo COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Castillo COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Chen COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Connolly COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Davies COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Dixon COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Fong COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Gabriel COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Garcia COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Gipson COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Jeff Gonzalez COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Mark González COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Haney COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Harabedian COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Hart COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Irwin COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Jackson COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Johnson COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Kalra COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Krell COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Lee COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Lowenthal COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY McKinnor COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Muratsuchi COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Nguyen COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Ortega COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Pacheco COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Papan COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Patel COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Pellerin COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Petrie-Norris COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Quirk-Silva COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Ramos COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Ransom COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Rivas COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Michelle Rodriguez COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Rogers COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Blanca Rubio COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Schiavo COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Solache COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Soria COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Ta COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Valencia COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Wallis COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Ward COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Wicks COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Wilson COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Zbur Relative to Second Chance Month.

Second Chance Month Second Chance Month. This measure would proclaim the month of April as Second Chance Month in California. NO

WHEREAS, Every individual is endowed with human dignity and value; and

WHEREAS, Redemption and second chances are values of California; and

WHEREAS, Restorative justice through healing and rehabilitation can help uplift society; and

WHEREAS, An estimated 8,000,000 residents of California have a criminal record; and

WHEREAS, About 35,000 Californians return to their communities from prison every year; and

WHEREAS, Individuals returning from prison or jail have paid their debt for committing crimes but still face significant legal and societal barriers; and

WHEREAS, For individuals returning to their communities from prison or jail, gaining meaningful employment is one of the most significant predictors of successful reentry and has been shown to reduce future criminal activity; and

WHEREAS, Many individuals who have been incarcerated struggle to find employment and access capital to start a small business because of collateral consequences, which are sometimes not directly related to the offenses the individuals committed or any proven public safety benefit; and

WHEREAS, In addition to employment, education has also been shown to be a significant predictor of successful reentry for individuals returning from prison; and

WHEREAS, An individual with a criminal record often has a lower level of educational attainment than the general population and has significant difficulty acquiring admission to, and funding for, educational programs; and

WHEREAS, An individual who has been convicted of certain crimes is often barred from receiving the financial aid necessary to acquire additional skills and knowledge through some formal education programs; and

WHEREAS, An individual with a criminal record faces significant barriers in securing a place to live and is often barred from seeking access to public housing; and

WHEREAS, Individuals returning from prison or jail often attempt to support their families financially and contribute to their neighborhoods through community service, but significant barriers can prevent them from doing so; and

WHEREAS, Those barriers can have an impact on public safety by contributing to recidivism; and

WHEREAS, Individuals returning from prison or jail often contribute to their communities by providing peer support services, helping prevent others from entering into the carceral system; and

WHEREAS, Individuals returning from prison or jail often engage in advocacy and become involved in criminal justice reform, using their experience to shape more effective policy; and

WHEREAS, Individuals returning from prison or jail can contribute to local economies through taxes, purchasing power, and fulfilling labor needs; and

WHEREAS, The consequences of being system impacted have particularly affected underserved communities of color and the communities’ rates of employment, housing stability, and recidivism; and

WHEREAS, The inability to find gainful employment and other collateral consequences of conviction inhibit the economic mobility of an individual with a criminal record, which can negatively impact the well-being of the children and families of the individual for generations; and

WHEREAS, The designation of April as Second Chance Month may contribute to increased public awareness about the impact of collateral consequences and the need for closure for individuals with a criminal record who have paid their debt; and

WHEREAS, Second Chance Month may also contribute to increased public awareness about opportunities for individuals, employers, congregations, and communities to extend second chances to individuals with a criminal record;

now, therefore,

be it Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate thereof concurring, That the Legislature hereby proclaims the month of April as Second Chance Month in California; and be it further Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution. REVISIONS: Heading—Line 2.