Published by San Francisco Chronicle
Legislation designed to protect inmates in California from being released from jail in the middle of the night was introduced Monday in an effort to prevent tragedies like one that happened last July when an Alameda County woman died on the streets.
State Senator Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley, introduced SB 42, known as the Getting Home Safe Act, on Monday after the death of Jessica St. Louis, who was released from Santa Rita Jail, in Dublin, at 1:25 a.m, on July 28, a time when no public transit was available. She was later found dead on the street.
The bill would require jails to offer inmates the choice of being released during the daytime when transportation is available.