A state bill that would raise the hourly pay for firefighting inmates in California has passed the Assembly Public Safety Committee.
Assembly Bill 247, introduced by Assemblyman Isaac Bryan, passed with bipartisan support through the committee on Tuesday.
Under the bill, eligible firefighting inmates—also called hand crews—would make $19 per hour during emergencies. Currently, incarcerated firefighters can earn between $5.80 and $10.24 per 8-hour shift during emergencies, depending on their skill level. They serve 24-hour shifts before a 24-hour rest period, for which they are also paid.
“Los Angeles might still be burning if it wasn’t for the hundreds of incarcerated hand crews that went to work,” Bryan, who represents District 55, said at a press conference Tuesday, where firefighters, who were formerly incarcerated, spoke about their experience….