Assembly Bill 247 aims to raise the hourly wage of inmates to $19 when they are assigned to an active fire incident. They currently earn $5-10 a day.
During a news conference Tuesday, some assembly members said incarcerated individuals who fight fires have put their lives on the line just like firefighters - and so far, they haven't been paid fairly.
More than 1,000 incarcerated individuals helped battle the Palisades and Eaton fires that devastated Los Angeles County two months ago.
Incarcerated firefighters battling SoCal wildfires moved by outpouring support from the public