California Lawmakers May Shut Down More Prisons as State Faces Deficit

A California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation officer wears a protective mask as he stands guard at the front gate of San Quentin State Prison in San Quentin, Calif., on June 29, 2020. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

After the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation announced Dec. 6 the closure of two prisons and suspension of six other facilities, Democrat lawmaker Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) said more closures could be on the way.

Ting, the chair of the Assembly Budget Committee, released a budget outline Dec. 7 that indicated three more prisons could close by summer 2023 “saving the state up to $500 million annually and [avoiding] billions in capital expenses.”