In another precedent to further both animal and human rights, the state of California will soon begin offering vegan food to its prisoners.
Lawmakers unanimously agreed that access to a vegan diet is a basic human right, even in prison. And California will soon become the first state in the nation to offer prison inmates an all-plant-based menu.
In an interview with KPIX 5, state Senator Nancy Skinner, who sponsored the bill, stated: “We really want people to be able to have the meal option of their religious, ethical, or environmental choice, or health choice, and we want to make sure that our facilities honor that.”
Skinner went on to say that she’d received plenty of correspondences from inmates telling her that eating vegan in prison means being on a “scraps-only” diet, which might only amount to a piece of bread or a small helping of white rice at each meal — proving that providing vegan “food” in prison was an afterthought. Although California prisons currently offer vegetarian food options, those meals often contain milk and egg products and are not strictly plant-based.
Senator Skinner’s bill, also known as SB 1138, faced no opposition throughout the legislation process, and she was impressed by the unanimous support it received “on both sides of the aisle.”
For those among the 127,000 inmates currently being housed in California’s 35 prisons that prefer a vegan diet, the bill comes as good news. At around $3 per meal, the plant-based prison menu will cost the same as the standard prison diet.
The bill, which was signed by Governor Jerry Brown on September 18, requires vegan options to be offered not just at prisons, but at all residential facilities, including nursing homes and hospitals. In addition to the requirement for state institutions to offer vegan meals under SB 1138, the California Department of Corrections will also implement a dietary plan that is considered to be “acceptable to most religions.”

This is not an option because they deserve something special- THIS ENABLES MORE ANIMALS TO LIVE INSTEAD OF BEING BARBARICALLY TORTURED AND KILLED ON A FARM.
THAT IS WHY IT IS GOOD – GOOD FOR THE SWEET ANIMALS WHOSE LIVES ARE SPARED.
Nothing to justify if they are in the prison or not. Animals are in case and we have to fight against abuses!
#ThumbsUpCalifornia
Oh sure feed them good food while they have probabley starved a dog to death. That,s stupid.
You dont know the crimes they did! Dont say what you dont know!
Whether or not you feel that prisoners deserve this choice, it is a earth and animal friendly option. From the standpoint of animals and the environment, this is a really good thing.
WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH THIS…HELLO THEY ARE PRISONERS…BY ALL MEANS LETS TREAT THEM LIKE ROYALTY. THEY ARE F…ING PRISONERS. THEY DESERVE NOTHING SPECIAL…NO CHOICES NO PLAY TIME NO 3 COURSE MEALS. GET WITH THE PROGRAM. NO WONDER PEOPLE KEEP DOING CRIME…THEY GET FREE ROOM AND BOARD…FREE DOCTORS…FREE EVERYTHING…PURE STUPIDITY.
But animals are in case. I can kill people but I can keep a Vegan, because it is for animals.
Dont say what you dont know!
I am glad they have a choice for vegan meals too. God asks us to be kind to all – by doing that the prisoners are learning how to be kind to animals. Education is better than hate !
Oh yes let’s all be concerned about what lowlife criminals eat!!! Of course it’s crazy California.
QUE EVOLUÇÃO
But they lose their freedom.
There in prison. They get what they get.
GOOD FOR THEM!