California Lawmakers Use Loophole to Toss Extra $500 Million to State Prison Guards

State prison guards in California will get a more than $500 million pay raise in the next budget after Gov. Gavin Newsom and the state legislature used a loophole in the law to avoid going through the proper procedure.

In June, the politicians quietly gave the increase to the guards using a 1981 loophole in state code, according to good government organization Govern for California. Govern for California describes itself as a network of about “1,000 political philanthropists whose mission is to liberate the California State Legislature to govern for the benefit of citizens instead of special interests.”

Subsection (c) of Section 19826 requires the state to submit a study on “the salaries of employees in comparable occupations in private industry and other governmental agencies” before it awards a new contract.

However, subsection d allows bargaining units and the state to bypass that requirement, leading to a $500 million increase with no questions asked.

Seeing the pay raise as unwarranted, Govern for California is crafting legislation to eliminate the loophole. The organization is also penning a bill that would ban political donations from corporations, unions and associations that receive money from the state.

When it comes to protecting California taxpayers’ money, the fox is guarding the henhouse.

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