Newsom wants to transform San Quentin State Prison. The council advising him can meet in secret

By TRÂN NGUYỄN
Associated Press

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s planned transformation of San Quentin State Prison into a rehabilitation facility after decades as the home for death row inmates is being shaped by a hand-picked advisory council that is allowed to meet in secret. The Democratic governor wants to develop California’s own take on the Scandinavian prison model that focuses on rehabilitation. Newsom wants the campus up and running by December 2025, right before he leaves office. A 21-member advisory council doesn’t have to hold public meetings, and lawmakers traded away seats on the council and formal oversight for access to data on other prisons.