CA AB2178

Requires the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Secretary to maintain maximum average daily empty bed thresholds in state prisons, declining from 11,300 beds in 2025–26 to 2,500 beds by 2029–30 and thereafter.

Secretary may exceed the specified thresholds if necessary to address exigent circumstances.

Mandates the Secretary report annually to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee by April 1, including whether thresholds were exceeded and written explanations for any overages.

Establishes that maintaining excess empty beds is not cost-effective use of taxpayer money, citing that state prisons currently have 13,211 empty beds projected to grow to 19,000 by June 30, 2028.

Responds to the February 2014 federal court order requiring the department to maintain prison population at 137.5 percent of design capacity, which historically resulted in about 2,500 empty beds.