This seems like a scheme to subsidize prisoners. Normal stores typically have a 100% markup (50% of final cost). The state will now be losing money on what it sells to prisoners.

If there are issues of too little food or missing necessities, why not address those rather than instituting a blanket subsidy for prisoners?

I pay more than $1 per roll and $3.60 per stick, and I don't drink coffee. As far as food, they eat for free at the taxpayers' expense. They don't need to be munching on chips and snacking on candy. Are they smoking weed all day? Fruits and vegetables are healthier even though they do have plenty of time for exercise. My compassion is for the victims of crime, not the perp. If and when they get out of prison, the slimmer the better. They're not "vulnerable." They're hardened criminals. The "cruelty?" When he held a gun to he/she? Give me a break.

What an odd focus for State Senator Josh Becker. I would prefer to vote in a new state senator who represents his/her constituents.

It's a very odd focus, but there is nothing normal about far-left and far-right extremists. They're a threat to democracy, and you never know how far-left or far-right someone swings until they're in office. They'll say anything to get elected, and the truth comes out once they get there.

How about some legislation to cap prices of meal replacement drinks for people who can't eat regular food? I usually buy it to have some in the car on road trips. It used to be easier to down a bottle of that instead of wasting time at a freeway ramp fast food joint. It now costs 3x what it did before grandpa Joe told us to suck up some inflation to save democracy in Ukraine. I know this is an unpopular viewpoint, but I am about DONE with sucking up inflation to benefit a concept. Ukraine isn't even a country anymore. It's just a memory. I'd like my "pre-Ukraine War price gouging" to stop. As for Becker, it seems like he may have bedded a prison rights advocate or something. His efforts to stamp out high prices at prison canteens makes me wonder if he is visiting somebody on the regular that he has to buy snacks for. edited: I had a nephew visiting and he had a jailhouse honey he was talking to using my landline. Even back in the pre-celll phone days the fees were ridiculous. The best way to reduce the fees is stop accepting collect calls from prisoners.

Another abuse of prisoners is California prison workers do not get paid the minimum wage for their work performed for others while in prison, the equivalent of slave labor. It is important to make a constitutional amendment to remove "involuntary servitude" in the State of California and ensure that a minimum wage applies to all workers.

I wholeheartedly support Senator Becker's sensitive and important protection against price-gouging of our incarcerated prisoners.

Right on Alice Schaffer Smith as Becker is doing ethical work in righting a wrong. Mitzvah in the vernacular means good deed but the original sense is commandment.

Maybe institute a prison "normal/living" minimum wage, then deduct meals, clothing, lodging expenses, etc. That way everything is fair and more transparent, even though the monetary end result would be similar to the current situation.

A "normal/living minimum wage" wouldn't come close to their living expenses. Housing, medical costs, food, etc. would be over $100k. I've read paying them minimum wage would cost $1.5 billion annually, and the money isn't there. In the words of Steve Glazer (D) they've "lost their liberties" and he goes on to say he's "unapologetic" in the way he feels. So am I. Criminals chose a life of crime because they're selfish, greedy and they're narcissists. While the rest of us work for what we have, they chose another route. I don't believe they're in prison because they grew up poor, etc. There are a lot of poor people with values. They're in prison because they lack character, they got caught and they're serving their time. Enablers making excuses for them add fuel to the fire. Once they get out, they've served their time. They're still incarcerated.

Novel idea......don't go to jail.

Anyone who is interested in learning about the use of incarcerated people to work for free (basically it's called SLAVERY) should watch a documentary called "13th". It's a netflix original documentary, free at youtube. Web Link Prison industries are big business, and Becker makes me laugh trying to lower the price for toothpaste for prisoners while ignoring the obvious -- state slaves who work for free because if they don't, they have to stay in their cage. Becker is in on the joke, and likely bagged a lobbyist who now demands payment for services rendered. Canteen prices are a ridiulous "ill" needing remedying? No. How about releasing prisoners who in many cases made plea deals and are now stuck with "work, or stay in your cell" as the only options? That's a cause worth fighting for. Not capping prices on candy bars and potato chips.

@ MyFeelz, indeed, especially since much of that slave labor involves telemarketing and fund-raising where they have access to people's personal information and get to request even more personal and financial info. For years there have been news stories about how that info gets misused, sold, etc.

Who are these self-righteous sourpusses who seem to have no empathy? A bill helping other human beings avoid outrageous price markups is commendable.

@Novelera I think the point is that the current markups are normal, not outrageous (at least based on my shopping). In any case, taking money from people who have not committed any crime to subsidize those who have seems like the wrong incentive structure.

We're all dealing with price gouging at the grocery stores, etc. and it stands to reason that's why prices are higher at the canteen. It is the wrong incentive structure, and normal, reasonable people understand this. In the words of another poster... stay out of jail.

We need to be making prison even more miserable. If we lengthen prison sentences and make prison so miserable (whippings, hard labor, rotten food, etc) it’ll solve crime because no one will want to risk going to prison.

@One Town Over, how about this: Leave them in tents in the sun, making them wear pink underwear and feed them green bologna that isn't even fit for dogs to eat? It's been done, and it hasn't reduced crime in Arizona one bit. The stuff about whippings -- we have civil rights laws that prevent "cruel and unusual punishment". Some prisoners are only there due to minor offenses. Bill Clinton enacted some of the worst crime legislation, called "three strikes" and then later, to support his wife's candidacy, admitted it was bad legislation that destroyed families and communities. The worst thing about it is that even though the crafter of the legislation admits it was horrible, it hasn't brought anybody home. Watch "13th" at youtube. If that doesn't soften your heart any, you may not have one at all.

The "cruel and unusual punishment" happened when he committed MURDER, CHILD MOLESTATION, RAPE, ARMED ROBBERY, etc. Your "compassion" is misplaced. Most of us have compassion for the victims as well as the victims' families. In the words of Marc Klass "I'd trade it all in for one more hug." Feel free to have "compassion" for Richard Allen Davis. What destroys "families and communities" is the criminal element.