(The Center Square)—California Gov. Gavin Newsom has called for closing another prison as part of his newly revised budget proposal.
If that happened, it would be the fifth state prison that was closed during the Newsom administration.
The Criminal and Judicial Branch portion of the Democratic governor’s budget, presented on Wednesday and subject to legislative approval, called for $13.6 billion for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. It also called for closing one of the state’s prisons by October 2026 to save an estimated $150 million.
Newsom’s budget didn’t say which prison would be closed.
In his budget, the governor noted the adult prison population has steadily declined in recent years. The overall downward trend is expected to continue despite any temporary increases related to Proposition 36, the ballot measure that turned serial theft and drug crimes into felonies, Newsom said. Voters approved Prop. 36 by 70% in November.
The proposition will cause the state’s daily adult incarcerated population to temporarily rise to 92,179 in 2027-28, but the overall population decline will continue, Newsom said. He predicted the daily number of inmates would be 89,692 by June 30, 2029.
“The parolee average daily population is projected to be 34,723 in 2024-25, declining slightly to 34,197 in 2025-26,” Newsom said in his proposed budget. “Proposition 36 is projected to slightly increase the parole population, which is anticipated to remain relatively stable over the next few years, at 34,213 by June 30, 2029.”
The decrease in prison population allowed the state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to close the Deuel Vocational Institution in Tracy, the California Correctional Center in Susanville and the Chuckawalla Valley State Prison in Blythe, according to Newsom’s budget.
The governor also ended a lease with the California City Correctional Facilitiy, a privately run prison.
“Lastly, the department has deactivated 11 facilities, portions of two facilities, and 42 housing units across 11 prisons,” Newsom said in his proposed budget. “Combined, these closures and deactivations, along with administrative savings, result in hundreds of millions of dollars in annual savings.”
The budget maintains resources for the San Quentin Rehabilitation Center’s new educational center, which is expected to be completed in January.
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