CALIFORNIA — The California Senate has passed Senate Bill 672 (SB 672), also known as the Youth Rehabilitation & Opportunity Act, by a 24-11 vote on June 3, moving it to the Assembly for further consideration.
Authored by Senator Susan Rubio, SB 672 would allow individuals sentenced to life without parole (LWOP) for crimes committed before the age of 26 to request a parole hearing after serving at least 25 years in prison.
The bill expands current law, which limits youth offender parole hearings to those who committed crimes before turning 18, by raising the age threshold to 25, reflecting findings from neuroscience showing the human brain continues developing into the mid-20s.
Rubio emphasized that SB 672 does not guarantee release, stating, “This provides a process for review, not release,” and that the Board of Parole Hearings retains full discretion to assess whether someone has truly been rehabilitated and no longer poses a threat to public safety.
Victims’ rights are preserved, with full participation and notification rights guaranteed throughout the process.
Importantly, the bill excludes individuals convicted of the most serious crimes, including:
Murder of law enforcement officers
Torture
Mass shootings
Hate crimes
Murders involving explosives
Murder of judges or government officials
Violent sexual offenses, including child abuse and sex trafficking of minors
If enacted, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) estimates 1,634 individuals would be eligible for youth offender parole hearings by January 1, 2028, the deadline set in the bill.
Senate Minority Leader Brian W. Jones voiced strong opposition, warning on social media that the bill could lead to the release of “over 1,600 cold-blooded killers”, and urged national awareness of similar potential reforms across other states.
SB 672 now awaits a vote in the California Assembly.
