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Pa. Treasurer Stacy Garrity: PA ABLE Honored as Program of the Year at 5th Annual PA Community Health Worker Conference
HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania, Oct. 23 -- The Pennsylvania Treasurer issued the following news release:
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22 October, 2026
Treasurer Stacy Garrity: PA ABLE Honored as Program of the Year at 5th Annual PA Community Health Worker Conference
Harrisburg, PA - In a major win for Pennsylvania's disability community, Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity today celebrated the PA ABLE Savings Program (PA ABLE) being named the Program of the Year at the 5th Annual PA Community Health Worker Conference sponsored by the North Central Pennsylvania Area Health Education Center (NCPA AHEC) and the Eastcentral
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HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania, Oct. 23 -- The Pennsylvania Treasurer issued the following news release:
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22 October, 2026
Treasurer Stacy Garrity: PA ABLE Honored as Program of the Year at 5th Annual PA Community Health Worker Conference
Harrisburg, PA - In a major win for Pennsylvania's disability community, Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity today celebrated the PA ABLE Savings Program (PA ABLE) being named the Program of the Year at the 5th Annual PA Community Health Worker Conference sponsored by the North Central Pennsylvania Area Health Education Center (NCPA AHEC) and the EastcentralPennsylvania Area Health Education Center (ECPA AHEC).
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"I'm honored to have PA ABLE recognized as the Program of the Year by NCPA AHEC and ECPA AHEC. PA ABLE gives Pennsylvanians with disabilities a powerful path to financial security and increased independence and our team is working tirelessly to ensure everyone who can benefit from saving with PA ABLE knows about the incredible flexibility of this life-changing program."
- Pennsylvania State Treasurer Stacy Garrity
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Since taking office in 2021, Treasurer Garrity has reduced fees for PA ABLE accounts multiple times and she has grown the program into the fifth largest ABLE program in the country, quadrupling in size. There are now more than 14,000 PA ABLE accounts with over $225 million saved.
PA ABLE (Achieving a Better Life Experience) accounts provide a tax-free way for Pennsylvanians with disabilities and their families to save for disability-related expenses without impacting eligibility for important benefits. PA ABLE account owners can choose from a variety of investment options and have access to a prepaid debit card. Savings can be used for a wide variety of disability-related expenses, such as groceries, rent, transportation, healthcare, education, vehicle modifications, assistive technology and more.
Account owners can contribute up to $20,000 annually, with higher limits possible through ABLE to Work, and contributions up to $19,000 can be deducted on PA state income taxes.
More Americans than ever before can now save with PA ABLE accounts, including more than one million Veterans with the expansion of eligibility this year to include anyone whose qualifying disability was onset prior to the age of 46.
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"Originally established nearly a decade ago, PA ABLE allows individuals with qualifying disabilities to save and invest for future disability-related expenses without risking their eligibility for vital government benefits like Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income. PA Community Health Workers are pleased to refer clients to the PA ABLE program allowing the clients to save for future financial needs without worrying over the loss of medical care or SSI."
- ECPA AHEC Executive Director Liz Schaffer
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NCPA AHEC and ECPA AHEC are nonprofit organizations that work to develop clinical and non-clinical health-related programs, collaborate with organizations, and advocate for access to quality health care in every community. NCPA AHEC serves Centre, Clinton, Columbia, Lycoming, Mifflin, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder, Tioga and Union counties. ECPA AHEC serves Berks, Carbon, Lehigh, Northampton and Schuylkill counties.
Visit paable.gov to learn more about how to save with PA ABLE.
To learn more about the Pennsylvania Treasury, visit patreasury.gov. For the latest Pennsylvania Treasury news and updates, follow PA Treasurer Stacy Garrity on Facebook and @PATreasury on Instagram. You can also sign up for Treasury's newsletter here (https://www.patreasury.gov/newsletter/).
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Original text here: https://www.patreasury.gov/newsroom/archive/2026/10-22-ABLE.html
Okla. A.G. Drummond Seeks Emissions Data From Inola Smelter Companies Before Construction Starts
OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma, Oct. 23 -- Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond issued the following news release:
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Drummond seeks emissions data from Inola smelter companies before construction starts
OKLAHOMA CITY (Oct. 22, 2026) - Attorney General Gentner Drummond today asked a Rogers County judge to let the State begin gathering evidence now from Century Aluminum Company and Aluminum Oklahoma, the companies behind the proposed Inola aluminum smelter, rather than wait until after the court rules on their motion to dismiss.
Under state law, a defendant's 30-day deadline to respond to
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OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma, Oct. 23 -- Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond issued the following news release:
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Drummond seeks emissions data from Inola smelter companies before construction starts
OKLAHOMA CITY (Oct. 22, 2026) - Attorney General Gentner Drummond today asked a Rogers County judge to let the State begin gathering evidence now from Century Aluminum Company and Aluminum Oklahoma, the companies behind the proposed Inola aluminum smelter, rather than wait until after the court rules on their motion to dismiss.
Under state law, a defendant's 30-day deadline to respond towritten discovery does not begin to run until the defendant files a formal answer to the lawsuit. The companies do not have to answer until 20 days after the court rules on their pending motion to dismiss, and there is no set date for that ruling. Today's filing asks the court to start the 30-day clock now.
The companies have told shareholders they expect to begin construction once engineering and a power supply agreement are complete, and, as recently as this year, said that could happen by the end of 2026. The Town of Inola has a moratorium on heavy industrial construction in place through April 7, 2027, when voters will decide on a proposed ban on aluminum smelting within the town. The motion notes that Aluminum Oklahoma, which does business as Oklahoma Primary Aluminum, has threatened to sue the town over the moratorium.
"These companies told a federal judge that our case rests on speculation, yet they are the only ones holding the data that would show what this smelter will release into the air and onto the land around Inola," Drummond said. "Oklahomans deserve those answers before the bulldozers arrive, not after."
Drummond sued in June to stop the smelter from being built, seeking to protect the health of area residents, livestock and natural resources. The companies removed the case to federal court, where they argued that the fluoride emissions in their own permit application are only a "theoretical maximum." The federal court sent the case back to Rogers County in September.
If the motion is granted, the companies will have 30 days to produce the data behind their emission estimates, along with information on the project's engineering, ownership and financing and the companies' compliance record at their other smelters. The companies oppose the motion.
Read the Motion (https://oklahoma.gov/content/dam/ok/en/oag/news-documents/2026/october/Smelter.pdf)
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Original text here: https://oklahoma.gov/oag/news/newsroom/2026/october/drummond-seeks-emissions-data-from-inola-smelter-companies-before-construction-starts.html
N.Y. STATE DEPT. ANNOUNCES COMPLETION OF PEOPLE'S PARK AND RECREATION CENTER IMPROVEMENTS AS PART OF SENECA FALLS' DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION INITIATIVE
ALBANY, New York, Oct. 23 -- The New York Department of State issued the following news release:
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October 22, 2026
NEW YORK DEPARTMENT OF STATE ANNOUNCES COMPLETION OF PEOPLE'S PARK AND RECREATION CENTER IMPROVEMENTS AS PART OF SENECA FALLS' DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION INITIATIVE
Park Improvements Include New Pathways, Playground, Mural and "It's a Wonderful Life" Bridge Upgrades; Recreation Center Gets New Accessible Kayak Launch and Skate Park Enhancements
$4.1 Million Award for People's Park and $324,000 for Recreation Center Funded Through the State's Downtown Revitalization Initiative
See
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ALBANY, New York, Oct. 23 -- The New York Department of State issued the following news release:
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October 22, 2026
NEW YORK DEPARTMENT OF STATE ANNOUNCES COMPLETION OF PEOPLE'S PARK AND RECREATION CENTER IMPROVEMENTS AS PART OF SENECA FALLS' DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION INITIATIVE
Park Improvements Include New Pathways, Playground, Mural and "It's a Wonderful Life" Bridge Upgrades; Recreation Center Gets New Accessible Kayak Launch and Skate Park Enhancements
$4.1 Million Award for People's Park and $324,000 for Recreation Center Funded Through the State's Downtown Revitalization Initiative
SeeBefore and After Pictures (https://dos.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2026/10/seneca-falls-before-and-afters.pdf)
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New York Secretary of State Walter T. Mosley today announced the completion of improvements to the Seneca Falls People's Park and Community Recreation Center. The two projects were supported by a combined $4.4 million grant from the New York Department of State, through the Town's $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) award received in the fourth round of the program.
"This historic community continues to forge ahead with the completion of the park and recreation center projects and many others this Town's rich history, culture and quality of life," said Secretary of State Walter T. Mosley. "These two projects significantly enhance the public realm in Seneca Falls, providing important public gathering spaces and greater access to the historic Erie Canal to this burgeoning downtown."
Improvements to People's Park include activating the Erie Canal edge with waterfront treatments; new pathways; a new playground; and upgrades to the "It's a Wonderful Life" Bridge, including new paint and lighting and a mural on the Ovid Street bridge abutment. Recreation Center improvements include an accessible kayak launch and "street league" obstacles to the Skate Park.
Seneca Falls is widely recognized as the birthplace of the women's rights movement and is home to the National Women's Hall of Fame, which was also supported through the DRI. The village is also famously associated with the beloved holiday classic "It's a Wonderful Life", which was believed to be inspired in part by the Town of Seneca Falls.
Other projects funded through the DRI include:
* Established the National Women's Hall of Fame as a Destination (COMPLETE): $1,000,000
* This project included the renovation of the building's iconic smokestack, addition of a stairwell and elevator to improve access to the upper stories and improvements to the museum's interior exhibit space.
* Renovated the Historic Huntington Building (COMPLETE): $800,000 This was an adaptive reuse project of the historic, vacant Huntington Building into 53 energy-efficient affordable housing units (including 27 with supportive services for veterans).
* Improved the Heritage & Information Center (COMPLETE): $533,000 This project included facade improvements, updating permanent interior exhibits, installation of a new elevator and renovations to boater spaces.
* Enhanced the Frank Ludovico Sculpture Trail (COMPLETE): $178,000 This project included the installation of a new gateway entry plaza, upgrading the trail surface to be accessible to all and the addition of descriptive sculpture plaques.
* Transform the "It's a Wonderful Life" Museum: $1,917,000 This project will include improvements to the Museum to address structural stabilization of the building, facade renovation to reflect its historic appearance, enhanced accessibility and improved signage.
* Establish a Building Improvement Fund: $853,000 The building improvement fund provides funding for downtown buildings and property owners for interior and exterior building improvements. Five projects have been completed through the fund, with at least another four underway.
Seneca Falls was named the Finger Lakes Region Downtown Revitalization Initiative winner in the fourth round of the program in 2019. Other DRI winners in the region include Geneva, Batavia (Round 2 and 9 winner), Penn Yan, Rochester, Newark, Perry, Waterloo and Canandaigua.
Town of Seneca Falls Town Supervisor Frank Schmitter said, "I would like to thank Governor Kathy Hochul and Secretary Mosley for providing the support through the DRI. This project provides a significant boost to Seneca Falls' tourism and economy, and we couldn't have done it without the help of New York State."
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About the Downtown Revitalization Initiative
The Downtown Revitalization Initiative was created in 2016 to accelerate and expand the revitalization of downtowns and neighborhoods in all ten regions of the state to serve as centers of activity and catalysts for investment. Led by the Department of State with assistance from Empire State Development, Homes and Community Renewal and NYSERDA, the DRI represents an unprecedented and innovative "plan-then-act" strategy that couples strategic planning with immediate implementation. Through nine rounds, the DRI has awarded a total of $1 billion to 99 communities across every region of the State. The FY 2027 Enacted Budget provides another $100 million for the program.
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Original text here: https://dos.ny.gov/news/completion-peoples-park-and-recreation-center-improvements-seneca-falls-downtown-revitalization-initiative
N.J. A.G. Davenport Takes Action to Move to Protect Taxpayers and Preserve Competition in Proposed CRH-Arcosa Merger
TRENTON, New Jersey, Oct. 23 -- New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport issued the following news release:
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AG Davenport Takes Action to Move to Protect Taxpayers and Preserve Competition in Proposed CRH-Arcosa Merger
Settlement Requires Sale of Some Asphalt Plants in New Jersey
October 22, 2026
TRENTON -- Attorney General Jennifer Davenport today announced the filing of a proposed consent judgment to preserve competition in the market for hot-mix asphalt (HMA) used to build and repair New Jersey's roads.
As a condition of CRH PLC's proposed acquisition of Arcosa, Inc., New Jersey
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TRENTON, New Jersey, Oct. 23 -- New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport issued the following news release:
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AG Davenport Takes Action to Move to Protect Taxpayers and Preserve Competition in Proposed CRH-Arcosa Merger
Settlement Requires Sale of Some Asphalt Plants in New Jersey
October 22, 2026
TRENTON -- Attorney General Jennifer Davenport today announced the filing of a proposed consent judgment to preserve competition in the market for hot-mix asphalt (HMA) used to build and repair New Jersey's roads.
As a condition of CRH PLC's proposed acquisition of Arcosa, Inc., New Jerseywill require the sale of multiple HMA plants, including facilities in Flemington, South River, Hillsborough, Howell, and Pennington. CRH proposed to buy Arcosa in June for more than $8 billion.
"By requiring the sale of these asphalt plants before the merger can proceed, we are ensuring that New Jersey taxpayers are protected from the higher prices that would almost certainly result from a near monopoly in this market," said Attorney General Davenport. "This agreement keeps the market competitive and safeguards the millions of public dollars spent every year on road infrastructure."
The complaint filed alongside the proposed final judgment alleges that CRH and Arcosa together would control roughly 75% of the supply of HMA approved by the New Jersey Department of Transportation across Mercer, Hunterdon, Somerset, Middlesex, and Monmouth counties if the merger were to proceed without conditions. This level of concentration would eliminate vital head to head competition, increase the likelihood of higher asphalt prices, and burden New Jersey taxpayers, who fund hundreds of millions of dollars in road infrastructure projects each year.
Antitrust action was especially important here because the market for HMA has high barriers to entry: new competitors need significant time and investment to set up production facilities and test products that meet NJDOT specifications. For example, any new players in the NJDOT-approved HMA market would have to purchase appropriate land close to an aggregate quarry, build a plant, procure the necessary land-use and environmental permits, and obtain NJDOT approval of each HMA mix made. So if the merger were to proceed without the agreed-upon divestiture of the existing plants, road infrastructure projects in New Jersey would likely have been completed at a higher cost to State taxpayers, or at a minimum significantly delayed.
The settlement gives the State of New Jersey sole discretion to approve the buyers of the divested assets, ensuring that the facilities remain in the hands of viable competitors capable of keeping prices fair.
The complaint and proposed final judgment were filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey October 20, 2026, and are awaiting judicial approval.
Attorney General Davenport was represented in this matter by Assistant Attorney General Brian McDonough, Antitrust Section Chief David Reichenberg, and Deputy Attorney General Samuel Kontos-Bleifer in the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Practice Group, under the supervision of Deputy Director Sara M. Gregory, within the Division of Law.
Complaint (http://www.njoag.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/2026-1020_ECF-1-Complaint.pdf) | Consent Judgment (http://www.njoag.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/2026-1020_ECF-2-Letter-to-Court-re-Proposed-Final-Judgment-attached-PFJ.pdf)
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Original text here: https://www.njoag.gov/ag-davenport-takes-action-to-move-to-protect-taxpayers-and-preserve-competition-in-proposed-crh-arcosa-merger/
Ga. Gov. Kemp Announces Appointment to State Court of Forsyth County
ATLANTA, Georgia, Oct. 23 -- Gov. Brian P. Kemp, R-Georgia, issued the following news release:
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October 22, 2026
Gov. Kemp Announces Appointment to State Court of Forsyth County
ATLANTA - Governor Brian P. Kemp today announced the appointment of Erin H. Fowler to the State Court of Forsyth County, filling the vacancy created by the passage of HB 750 (Act 520) during the 2026 session of the Georgia General Assembly.
Erin H. Fowler has served as a judge on the Magistrate Court of Forsyth County since January of 2017. She has also sat in designation on the Superior Court of the Bell-Forsyth
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ATLANTA, Georgia, Oct. 23 -- Gov. Brian P. Kemp, R-Georgia, issued the following news release:
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October 22, 2026
Gov. Kemp Announces Appointment to State Court of Forsyth County
ATLANTA - Governor Brian P. Kemp today announced the appointment of Erin H. Fowler to the State Court of Forsyth County, filling the vacancy created by the passage of HB 750 (Act 520) during the 2026 session of the Georgia General Assembly.
Erin H. Fowler has served as a judge on the Magistrate Court of Forsyth County since January of 2017. She has also sat in designation on the Superior Court of the Bell-ForsythJudicial Circuit and ad hoc for both the State and Juvenile Courts of Forsyth County. Prior to joining the bench full-time in 2024, she owned and operated Erin Fowler Law, P.C., where she litigated domestic, juvenile, and criminal cases. She has dedicated her legal career to serving her community.
Erin received her Bachelor of Science in Social Science from Florida State University in 2005 and earned her Juris Doctor from Atlanta's John Marshall Law School in 2012. While in law school, she was recognized for her academic success, earning the Melissa Hamrick Scholarship and the Dean's Award.
Erin and her husband, Jeff, have been married for 19 years and have two children. They reside in Forsyth County.
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Original text here: https://gov.georgia.gov/press-releases/2026-10-22/gov-kemp-announces-appointment-state-court-forsyth-county
Delaware Files Landmark Lawsuit Against Glock for Enabling Proliferation of Illegal Machine Guns
DOVER, Delaware, Oct. 23 -- Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings issued the following news release:
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Delaware files landmark lawsuit against Glock for enabling proliferation of illegal machine guns
October 22, 2026
Attorney General Kathleen Jennings today announced a civil lawsuit against arms dealer Glock, Inc. and Glock Ges.m.b.H. under the Keshall "KeKe" Anderson Safe Firearm Sales Act. The lawsuit alleges that the company has knowingly designed, marketed, and sold handguns that can be easily converted into illegal machine guns using so called "Glock switches."
The design of Glock
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DOVER, Delaware, Oct. 23 -- Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings issued the following news release:
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Delaware files landmark lawsuit against Glock for enabling proliferation of illegal machine guns
October 22, 2026
Attorney General Kathleen Jennings today announced a civil lawsuit against arms dealer Glock, Inc. and Glock Ges.m.b.H. under the Keshall "KeKe" Anderson Safe Firearm Sales Act. The lawsuit alleges that the company has knowingly designed, marketed, and sold handguns that can be easily converted into illegal machine guns using so called "Glock switches."
The design of Glockpistols allows them to be easily, quickly, and cheaply transformed into weapons capable of firing up to 1,200 rounds per minute using inexpensive conversion devices. Glock has known for decades that its design makes these conversions possible, yet has refused to adopt safety features that would prevent them. Instead, the company continued to market these products to civilians, even as law enforcement nationwide reported a surge in violence involving converted Glock handguns.
"For decades, some gun manufacturers have hidden behind the myth that their industry has no moral consequences, that their stake in our communities ends at the cash register, and that they are neutrals in the war between law enforcement and gun violence. Those days are over," said Attorney General Kathy Jennings. "Our communities, and communities across America, are being terrorized by weapons with destructive power never intended or legal for civilian use. Glock knew. They could have acted. They chose profit over people."
The complaint outlines:
* A dramatic rise in crimes involving Glock handguns modified with switches, both nationwide and in Delaware.
* Multiple seizures of illegally converted Glocks in Delaware, including
* Allegations that Glock ignored warnings from federal authorities, declined to redesign its firearms, and failed to adopt reasonable controls to reduce unlawful use.
* Evidence that Glock's own marketing and social media content glorified fully automatic fire, despite such weapons being illegal for civilian purchase.
The State asserts five causes of action, including violations of Delaware's firearm industry accountability statute and common law public nuisance. The lawsuit seeks an injunction barring Glock from distributing easily convertible pistols to civilians in the state; abatement of the public nuisance; and other relief, including restitution and damages. The lawsuit does not affect Glock sales to law enforcement.
Glock switches and other devices that convert semi-automatic firearms into fully automatic machine guns are illegal in Delaware. In 2025, Jennings co-led, and won, national litigation against the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives that defeated the agency's plan to redistribute forced reset triggers--devices that convert semiautomatic rifles into fully automatic machine guns--that it had previously seized back into the state.
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Original text here: https://news.delaware.gov/2026/10/22/delaware-files-landmark-lawsuit-against-glock-for-enabling-proliferation-of-illegal-machine-guns/
Calif. Gov. Newsom Announces Clemency Actions
SACRAMENTO, California, Oct. 23 -- Gov. Gavin Newsom, D-California, issued the following news release:
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Oct 22, 2026
Governor Newsom announces clemency actions
What you need to know: Governor Newsom announced that he has granted 27 pardons and 30 commutations today.
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SACRAMENTO - Today, Governor Gavin Newsom announced that he has granted 27 pardons and 30 commutations. These grantees were recommended for clemency by elected officials, correctional staff, including a former prison warden, medical professionals, teachers, and community and faith leaders.
Clemency recognizes and incentivizes
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SACRAMENTO, California, Oct. 23 -- Gov. Gavin Newsom, D-California, issued the following news release:
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Oct 22, 2026
Governor Newsom announces clemency actions
What you need to know: Governor Newsom announced that he has granted 27 pardons and 30 commutations today.
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SACRAMENTO - Today, Governor Gavin Newsom announced that he has granted 27 pardons and 30 commutations. These grantees were recommended for clemency by elected officials, correctional staff, including a former prison warden, medical professionals, teachers, and community and faith leaders.
Clemency recognizes and incentivizesrehabilitation and accountability after conviction. Motivating good behavior is an essential part of any successful justice system. The Governor weighs numerous factors in clemency cases, including an applicant's self-development since the offense, if the grant is consistent with public safety, and the impact of a grant on the community, including crime victims and survivors.
More information on the clemency process is available here (http://www.gov.ca.gov/clemency/).
Pardons
A pardon acknowledges the grantee's rehabilitation after a conviction, and their successful reintegration into the community. A pardon may remove counterproductive barriers to employment and public service and restore civic rights and responsibilities.
Commutations
A commutation recognizes an incarcerated person's exceptional post-conviction rehabilitation. Commutations modify sentences generally to make the grantee eligible to go before the Board of Parole Hearings at an earlier date. At that hearing, parole commissioners consider numerous factors, including input from crime victims and survivors and district attorneys, to determine whether the person can safely be released into the community on parole. The Board's expertise has resulted in a very low recidivism rate following release.
Resources for victims, survivors, and witnesses
The Governor's Office encourages victims, survivors, and witnesses to register with CDCR's Office of Victims and Survivors Rights and Services to receive information about an incarcerated person's status. For general information about victim services, to learn about victim-offender dialogues, or to register or update a registration confidentially, please click here (https://mclist.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=afffa58af0d1d42fee9a20e55&id=ad67fbe867&e=1d2c1e0056) or call 1-877-256-6877 (toll free).
While in office, Governor Newsom has granted a total of 303 pardons and 199 commutations, and 45 reprieves.
More information on the clemency process is available here (http://www.gov.ca.gov/clemency/).
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Original text here: https://www.gov.ca.gov/2026/10/22/governor-newsom-announces-clemency-actions-2/
