AB 1424

Under existing law, the California Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1973, the Division of Occupational Safety and Health investigates complaints that a workplace is not safe and may issue orders necessary to ensure employee safety. Under existing law, certain violations of those provisions or a standard, order, or special order authorized by those provisions are a crime. Existing law establishes the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and sets forth its powers and duties regarding the administration of correctional facilities and the care and custody of inmates. Existing law establishes the Office of Emergency Services within the office of the Governor and requires the office to be responsible for the state’s emergency and disaster response services for natural, technological, or manmade disasters and emergencies. This bill would require the division, by December 1, 2026, to submit a rulemaking proposal for the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board’s review and adoption, specifically applicable to workers in any prison or institution under the jurisdiction of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, as specified. This bill would require the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to comply with these provisions and any order, rule, or regulation adopted by the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board pursuant to them. Because this bill would expand the definition of an existing crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would require the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to take various actions relating to climate control and working conditions in prisons, including, among other things, ensuring that facilities are equipped with adequate cooling systems, adding shade structures, ensuring that facilities install temperature monitoring systems, as specified, and establishing and regularly updating an emergency response and evacuation plan for each correctional facility to protect the safety of incarcerated individuals during extreme weather events. The bill would require the department to implement an annual training for all staff on preventing, identifying, and managing heat-related illnesses. The bill would require the department to create a working group, as specified, to ensure regular maintenance, upkeep, accessibility of use, and implementation of these actions related to climate control and working conditions. The bill would require the department, on January 1, 2027, and each January 1 thereafter, to submit a report to the Governor, the Legislature, and the Office of Emergency Services, detailing the progress in implementation of these measures. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.