‘Fast-Track’ Jail Measure Includes S.D.

New jails could be built without time-consuming competitive bidding in San Diego, Orange and Los Angeles counties under a measure approved Monday by the Assembly Public Safety Committee and sent to the full Assembly.

Backers say the “fast-tracking” bill by Assemblyman Richard Robinson (D-Garden Grove) could reduce the planning and construction time for new jails by two years.

The bill only applies to the state’s three most populous counties, where chronic overcrowding and other subpar conditions have given rise to lawsuits and federal courts have ordered corrective measures.

A similar bill by Robinson passed the Assembly last year but stalled in the Senate after it was amended to include a $500-million bond issue for new state prisons.

Senate Judiciary Committee members objected that the two issues should not be combined, and Robinson agreed. The prison bonds measure is still pending before the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Last year’s fast-tracking bill applied only to Los Angeles and Orange counties. But San Diego County was added Monday at the request of county officials.

Under the bill, the counties’ supervisors can skip competitive bidding procedures as long as court orders are in effect, or if jails are more than 20% overcrowded.

County officials would still have to evaluate at least three proposals for jail construction and explain the reasons in writing if the lowest of the three bids was not accepted for the contract.

But the bill would eliminate hearings, public notice and advertising requirements in the state’s Public Contract Code.