This week, California lawmakers advanced a measure that would ban involuntary servitude in the state’s jails and prisons.

What You Need To Know

  • Assemblywoman Lori Wilson introduced ACA 8, which would end forced labor for incarcerated workers, a practice she says is one of the last remnants of slavery

  • Faith leaders like Rev. Quentisha Davis Wiles are urging state legislators to pass ACA 8, which failed to get enough votes two years ago
  • Under California law, most people in prison are required to work, and while the state forbids slavery, it allows involuntary servitude as a form of punishment for a crime

  • John Cannon, who began serving his sentence at 16, says he was forced to work. His pay for the various jobs he was given ranged from eight cents to $1 an hour

Assemblywoman Lori Wilson introduced ACA 8, which would end forced labor for incarcerated workers, a practice she said is one of the last remnants of slavery.

“The ACA 8 Coalition is determined to give voters the opportunity to add their voices to this movement. We must end slavery. No excuses, no exceptions,” Wilson said.

Faith leaders, such as Rev. Quentisha Davis Wiles, are urging state legislators to pass ACA 8, which failed to get enough votes two years ago.

“This nuanced language is not new. It’s old language dressed up to look new. It is perversion, and it is harmful, and I hope that [lawmakers] will see that indentured servitude is slavery,” Wiles said.

Under California law, most people in prison are required to work, and while the state forbids slavery, it allows involuntary servitude as a form of punishment for a crime.

“When people get incarcerated, your punishment is the time that you’re being confined and away from your family, away from the world,” said John Cannon, who spent 10 years incarcerated.

Cannon, who began serving his sentence at 16, said he was forced to work. His pay for the various jobs he was given ranged from 8 cents to $1 an hour. 

“I did yard labor, porter position — cleaning up the units — I did laundry and ultimately I did firefighting for my last three years,” Cannon said, who wore a shirt that read "retired slave," while advocating for ACA 8 at the Capitol.

The 32-year-old said he wanted to go to school and sign up for rehabilitation programs when he was incarcerated but was forced to work.

Cannon explained if he didn’t work, he faced consequences such as losing his visitation rights, phone calls to family and other privileges.

“I felt like a slave. You don’t have autonomy over your own body and that’s what led me to do this work this kind of work that I’m doing now and organizing the community around the issues of people that are incarcerated,” adds Cannon, who’s currently an outreach coordinator for Legal Services for Prisoners with Children.

ACA 8 cleared the Senate Elections Committee in a 6-0 party line vote. The sole Republican on the committee, Assemblywoman Janet Nguyen, did not vote.

The proposed constitutional amendment doesn’t face any registered opposition. ACA 8 must clear the Senate floor before June 27 in order to make it on the November ballot.

“I’m praying, I’m hoping, I’m believing that our legislators can see that they can make a difference and bring this forward,” Wiles said.