Skip to Main Content
Menu
Contact Us Search
CA Department of Insurance
CA Department of Insurance
CA Department of Insurance

Statement of Commissioner Lara on passage of SB 334 by the California Assembly Insurance Committee

News: 2021 Press Release

For Release: June 24, 2021
Media Calls Only: 916-492-3566
Email Inquiries: cdipress@insurance.ca.gov

Statement of Commissioner Lara on passage of SB 334 by the California Assembly Insurance Committee

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara released the following statement after the California Assembly Insurance Committee approved SB 334, the Private Detention Accountability Act, with a bipartisan 12-1 vote today:

“These for-profit private prisons and detention facilities have a long and well-documented history of violating immigrants’ human rights, turning a blind eye to their physical and mental health. Raising insurance standards will help hold these operators accountable by creating clear consequences if they fail to protect refugees and asylum seekers.”

“I want to sincerely thank Chair Tom Daly and his committee staff for closely working with us on this measure up to today’s vote on SB 334, which ensures that basic health, safety, and human rights are afforded to our most vulnerable populations detained in our state.”

SB 334, authored by California Latino Legislative Caucus Chair María Elena Durazo and co-sponsored by Commissioner Lara, offers a critical piece to the needed regulatory oversight of these for-profit, private prisons and detention facilities by expressly mandating these prisons and facilities meet health, safety, welfare, and labor standards and maintain appropriate insurance coverages for liability and workers’ compensation obtained in the admitted market in order to protect detained persons and working personnel. These same standards are currently followed by California’s own state and local publicly-managed prisons, local jails, and detention facilities today.

The bill is also co-sponsored by the California Immigrant Policy Center and the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA). 

SB 334 goes next to the Assembly Public Safety Committee for consideration.

###
 



Led by Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, the California Department of Insurance is the consumer protection agency for the nation's largest insurance marketplace and safeguards all of the state’s consumers by fairly regulating the insurance industry. Under the Commissioner’s direction, the Department uses its authority to protect Californians from insurance rates that are excessive, inadequate, or unfairly discriminatory, oversee insurer solvency to pay claims, set standards for agents and broker licensing, perform market conduct reviews of insurance companies, resolve consumer complaints, and investigate and prosecute insurance fraud. Consumers are urged to call 1-800-927-4357 with any questions or contact us at www.insurance.ca.gov via webform or online chat. Non-media inquiries should be directed to the Consumer Hotline at 800-927-4357. Teletypewriter (TTY), please dial 800-482-4833.

Google Translate