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Padilla Bill Caps Jail Commissary Markups at 35%

8/22/2026

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Summary

Story summary

State Senator Steve Padilla authored Senate Bill 941, capping detention-facility commissary markups at 35% above vendor cost.
The bill passed the Assembly 54-1 and the Senate 38-0 and now moves to Governor Newsom.
Attorney General Rob Bonta praised the measure, saying detention conditions are deteriorating.
Detainees at California City and Golden State Annex staged boycotts over inflated commissary prices.

History

Historical Context

The 1979 Supreme Court ruling in Bell v. Wolfish held that pre-trial detainees retain due-process protections, with the Court split 5-4 on the double-bunking question. That precedent later influenced California’s 2024 Senate Bill 941, which caps detention-facility markup at 35% as part of broader state-level pricing reforms in prison commerce after criticism from Attorney General Rob Bonta.

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Story summary

State Senator Steve Padilla authored Senate Bill 941, capping detention-facility commissary markups at 35% above vendor cost.
The bill passed the Assembly 54-1 and the Senate 38-0 and now moves to Governor Newsom.
Attorney General Rob Bonta praised the measure, saying detention conditions are deteriorating.
Detainees at California City and Golden State Annex staged boycotts over inflated commissary prices.

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