Gov. Jerry Brown reacts to Supreme Court decision on California prison inmates

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Gov. Jerry Brown said Monday the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling on the state prison system was another reason for lawmakers to approve his plan to shift thousands of state prisoners to county jails.

The prisoner shifts, contained in AB 109 signed by Brown this year, are contingent on voter approval of a constitutional amendment that would pay for moving the inmates by raising income, sales and vehicle taxes. ‘In its ruling, the Supreme Court recognized that the enactment of AB 109 is key to meeting this obligation,’ Brown said.

Brown is likely to incorporate the court order into his sales pitch to lawmakers and voters to approve tax increases to pay for the prisoner shift and other state services Brown wants counties to administer.

-- Anthony York in Sacramento