Los Angeles, CA – The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors today approved a motion by Supervisor Janice Hahn and co-authored by Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell to express the County’s support for Assembly Bill 1646, a bill introduced by Assemblymember Isaac Bryan (D-Los Angeles) which would require that juvenile facilities statewide ensure that youth in their custody have the right to hug visitors. The bill, also known as “The Hug Act,” was heard this morning in the California State Assembly Public Safety Committee, and successfully passed out of committee.
“No one should tell a child that they cannot hug their mom. The youth in our care are already facing unimaginable stress and challenges, and we know from research that allowing youth to embrace their loved ones leads to positive mental health outcomes and less violent behavior. It’s time to let these kids hug their moms,”said Supervisor Hahn.
Advocacy for a change in state law to require that incarcerated youth be allowed to hug visitors began with youth held at the County’s Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall in Downey. In July 2024, the youth mentorship organization Hoops 4 Justice attended a meeting of the Board of Supervisors with a large poster created by youth at Los Padrinos with a list of requests they were making to the supervisors to improve their experience in the hall. Their final request was the ability to hug their mothers, which is restricted under current procedures due to issues of contraband entering the secure facilities.
“Seeing that poster broke my heart,” added Hahn, whose district includes Downey. Hahn visits the facility monthly and holds dinners and a guest speaker series for the youth. “I am beyond proud of the youth at Los Padrinos who inspired this urgent change in state law.”
“A hug can go a long way in supporting the well-being and development of young people in our juvenile justice system, as well as the families counting the days until their return home. I’ve heard this firsthand during my visits to Los Padrinos, and there are longstanding examples of how a brief, warm embrace can be safely allowed for adults and other young people incarcerated throughout the state. I am proud that Los Angeles County is formally sharing its support for Assembly Bill 1646, also known as the Hug Act. I want to thank Assemblymember Isaac Bryan for visiting juvenile halls in Los Angeles County and ensuring this bill is informed by the lived experiences of those directly impacted by our justice system,” said Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell, Second District. “As a mother and daughter, I fully appreciate how love and support is communicated through touch at all ages and stages of our lives, but particularly when you are away from family. It is my expectation – as the county with the largest juvenile justice system in the world – that we remain engaged throughout the legislative process to help get this bill to the Governor’s desk.”
“Children deserve to be held, loved on, and affirmed by their parents. Denying incarcerated children hugs doesn’t keep anybody any safer. It’s time for us to recenter rehabilitation and humanity in our juvenile justice system,”said Assemblymember Isaac Bryan (D-Los Angeles), who introduced the bill.
The LA County Probation Department, which administers Los Padrinos among other facilities, has been working to reform and standardize visitation practices. Chief Probation Officer Guillermo Viera Rosa appeared before the Board during its deliberation on Hahn’s motion to provide an update and answer questions on the status of that process.
