After nearly a year of inaction, the California Assembly is set to vote on SB 94, a bill that would allow inmates serving life sentences for murder and other serious crimes to petition for early release, according to KCRA Sacramento.

If passed, the bill would essentially guarantee that inmates who have served at least 25 years could have their sentences reduced. However, serial killers and those convicted of killing police officers would be excluded from this early release program.

SB 94 was quietly reintroduced from the Assembly’s “inactive file” on Monday, without any discussion among legislators. The Democratic majority in the state legislature was ready to vote on the bill a year ago but decided to shelve it at that time.

The revival of the bill has sparked debate among both supporters and critics. Crime Victims United (CVU) has urged lawmakers to vote against the measure.

“We believe that this bill is not only unjust but also undermines the rule of law and the justice system in our country,” stated Harriet Salarno, the chair of CVU. “It would allow individuals who committed heinous crimes to potentially escape justice and receive reduced sentences, despite the severity of their offenses.”

Supporters of the bill argue that it provides a fair opportunity for long-term inmates to demonstrate rehabilitation. “SB 94 creates a simple process that allows a person who’s been incarcerated for decades to prove they’ve been rehabilitated and can one day be successfully released to the community,” said Daniel Trautfield of the SB 94 Coalition. “SB 94 doesn’t guarantee release to anyone.”

Proponents emphasize that the bill does not ensure automatic release, though the specifics of how the petition process could be overridden remain unclear. They also note that sentences for crimes like murder and rape were often more severe 25 years ago—a point that even opponents of the bill acknowledge.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has criticized his Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, and her running mate, Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN), accusing them of being lenient on crime and allowing violent criminals to be released from prison too easily. Harris, who has portrayed herself as a tough prosecutor during her time as California’s attorney general, previously solicited donations to bail out rioters during the George Floyd protests in Minnesota.

One of the individuals released by the Harris-supported bail fund was later charged with murder.