‘End Slavery in California Act’ clears key hurdle

It’s that last part – “except to punish crime” – that advocates like Jamilia Land want to change. She is co-director of state operations for the Abolish Slavery National Network, as well as co-founder of the Anti-Violence Safety and Accountability Project.

“If that doesn’t sound like legalized, constitutional slavery to you, I don’t know exactly what that sounds like,” she said, testifying Tuesday before the Senate Public Safety Committee.

The committee granted ACA 8 a key hurdle, passing it on to the next committee.

Land said prisoners make just pennies per hour and have no choice over their work assignment.

“Incarcerated people in the state of California make all of the office furniture that is inside of this building,” Land said, gesturing around her at the Capitol Swing Building, where lawmakers’ offices are located. “They make the road signs… These glasses that I am wearing, I got through the UC Berkeley optometry department. I asked them to give me the sheet of where it came from: CALPIA. The glasses on my face were produced inside of a California State Prison.”