-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A controversial bill that California legislators say would allow the early release of more than 27,000 inmates from crowded prisons will be taken up by the state Assembly on Monday . Inmates at Mule Creek State Prison in Ione , California , interact in a gym modified to house them in August 2007 . The Senate on Thursday passed the corrections package 21-19 , after Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg , D-Sacramento , assured senators the changes would protect the public from the most violent offenders . The legislation also would direct more resources toward parolees , he said . Senate Republicans say the bill would undermine public safety . All 15 Senate Republicans voted against the measure . Both houses of the legislature are controlled by Democrats . Consideration of the bill comes as California faces a mid-September deadline for reducing its prison population by about 40,000 inmates . A special panel of three federal judges issued the order , contending the crowded prison system violates prisoners ' constitutional rights . The judges said they will make the reductions themselves if the state fails to act . The measure would save the financially strapped state $ 524.5 million , according to a statement from Steinberg 's office . When coupled with budget revisions that lawmakers made in July , the total corrections savings would be $ 1.2 billion , he said . That is the amount that Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger wants as part of his efforts to cut state spending and balance the budget . Republicans said the bill would lead to the release of about 27,000 prisoners , while Democrats estimated it would reduce the prison population by 27,300 in the 2009-10 fiscal year and 37,000 during fiscal year 2010-11 . `` It is undeniable that the real failure of our criminal justice system is that it fails to distinguish between violent offenders and nonviolent offenders , '' Steinberg said . `` Of course , we want to keep violent criminals off our streets and out of our communities , and this reform package is a necessary step to do that because it concentrates our incarceration efforts on the violent criminals and ensures that nonviolent offenders have more contact with parole officers , '' he said . Some nonviolent offenders could serve shorter sentences . According to Steinberg , each parole officer in California is responsible for about 70 parolees , many of whom recommit crimes and go back to jail . If the legislation is passed , the ratio would be reduced to 45 to 1 , he said . `` They -LSB- parole officers -RSB- can not adequately supervise those who are the most at risk and those who are the most risk to the public safety , '' Steinberg said . With a lesser workload , the officers also can make more home visits and arrange more meetings with the people they supervise , the lawmaker said . Senate Republicans called the legislation a threat to public safety . `` Among the inmates who could be eligible for early release under the Democrat plan include felons convicted of human trafficking , stalking , identity theft , violent child abuse and threatening to use a weapon of mass destruction , '' the Republican Caucus said in a written statement . `` Unfortunately , this proposal exploits a fiscal crisis in order to advance a dangerous liberal agenda that seeks to undo successful anti-crime laws , '' said Senate Republican Leader Dennis Hollingsworth of Murrieta . GOP lawmakers in the Senate also strongly opposed the creation of what they described as `` an unelected and unaccountable sentencing commission that would be given broad authority to alter important public safety laws . '' The legislation would establish a 16-member Sentencing Commission that would put in place new sentencing guidelines by July 1 , 2012 . Unless vetoed by the legislature and governor , the guidelines would become effective January 1 , 2013 . The 13 voting members of the commission would include the chief justice of the California Supreme Court , a judge appointed by the chief justice , the state public defender and the secretary of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation . A crime victim would be among the three ex-officio members . California Assembly Speaker Karen Bass , D-Los Angeles , issued a statement early Friday morning , explaining that the assembly recessed around midnight and will reconvene Monday . On Thursday and into Friday morning , she said in the statement , `` we have been taking into account many of the concerns raised by law enforcement , and are working toward a bill that the people of California can agree makes sense , '' and that process will continue through the weekend . `` Our target remains a responsible approach that will achieve our public safety and budgetary goals , and allow us to prevent the wholesale release of prisoners by federal judges . '' `` Relieving prison overcrowding and reducing recidivism are monumental challenges , but they are challenges that we will not retreat from , '' Schwarzenegger told an audience of prosecutors in June . California has a 70 percent recidivism rate .