California Voters Block Measure to Prohibit Forced Prison Labor in All Its Forms

November 11, 2024 TruthUSA

According to the latest data, as of Monday, approximately 53 percent of Californians have rejected Proposition 6.

It has been announced that California voters have turned down a proposition aimed at amending the state constitution to prohibit forced prison labor under any circumstances.

The Associated Press has projected that California voters have voted against Proposition 6, with around 72 percent of the votes counted following the General Election last week. As of Monday, 53 percent of voters have rejected the ballot measure.

Proposition 6, also referred to as Prop. 6, would have altered the California Constitution to ban slavery in any form and eliminate the existing provision allowing involuntary servitude as a penalty for a crime.

While the U.S. Constitution outlaws slavery, it permits the government to compel individuals to work as punishment for a crime—a practice known as “involuntary servitude.” Many state constitutions, including California’s, also have similar provisions.

The exemption for involuntary servitude has been a point of concern for advocates of criminal justice reform who are worried about the conditions of prison labor. Inmates are often paid meager wages, sometimes less than $1 per hour, for tasks such as firefighting, janitorial work, and landscaping at cemeteries.

In recent years, several states like Alabama, Oregon, Tennessee, and Vermont have passed constitutional amendments to remove exceptions for involuntary servitude.

The proposal was introduced by a group of Democrats in the state, and the California Democratic Party also supported it, urging voters to vote “yes” or “si” in its favor.

In a previous attempt to eliminate the exception of involuntary servitude in state prisons as a punishment, the state Senate blocked the proposal in 2022. Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, argued that it would lead to higher taxes because the state would be required to pay prisoners the minimum wage, which was $15 per hour at the time.

In 2018, Colorado became the first state to prohibit involuntary servitude as punishment for a crime. Since then, inmates have filed lawsuits seeking fair wages and claiming they were coerced into working despite health concerns. The resolution of these lawsuits is uncertain.

Aside from the rejection of Prop. 6, California voters overwhelmingly approved Proposition 36, a measure that would toughen penalties for repeated theft offenses and certain drug crimes. As of Monday morning, approximately 70 percent of voters supported the measure, while 30 percent opposed it, according to The Associated Press.

In last week’s presidential election, more Californian voters supported President-elect Donald Trump compared to the previous election in 2020. Trump managed to win in 10 counties that had previously voted for President Joe Biden, including Butte, Nevada, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced, Inyo, Fresno, San Bernardino, Riverside, and Orange counties.

The Epoch Times has reached out to Wilson’s office for comment on this matter.

Contributions to this report were made by The Associated Press.

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