Our Bill To Raise Wages For Incarcerated Handcrews Passed the CA Legislature!

During the LA Fires, many people learned that incarcerated handcrews earn just $1 on the fireline and asked what we could do.

Now, our bill to raise the wages of these heroic first responders has passed the CA legislature and heads to the Governor’s desk to be signed into law. AB 247 raises pay for incarcerated handcrews on active fires to the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hour (and yes, the federal minimum wage still needs to go way up).

Also on the Governor’s desk is SB 245, a bill that will increase expungement opportunities for formerly incarcerated fire camp participants, and AB 952, a bill that will make the Youth Offender Fire Camp program permanent in California.

We’re grateful to everyone who supported these heroes, to our advocacy team, State Senators and Assemblymembers, and partners statewide who helped make this a reality.

Read about the bill here: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-09-12/californias-incarcerated-firefighters-who-make-1-per-hour-may-soon-get-a-raise.