California Democrats approved ten new bills Monday that are aimed at the state’s surge in retail theft — but which, Republicans say, do not go far enough, and fail to address 2014’s disastrous Proposition 47, which eased penalties.
Proposition 47, backed by the entire Democratic Party, was a “criminal justice reform” bill that reduced sentences, notably making retail theft of less than $950 a misdemeanor rather than a felony. Shoplifting soared in the aftermath.
Republicans have backed a ballot initiative, Proposition 36, which would amend significant parts of Proposition 47. Democrats, in an attempt to preserve Proposition 47, proposed a slew of new bills in the legislature to address theft.
The Los Angeles Times reported:
The legislation has been the focus of intense political debate all year, with Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders responding to the pressure created by a tough-on-crime ballot measure that would stiffen penalties for retail theft. Democratic leaders were hopeful their bills could sway prosecutors to drop the measure, but negotiations collapsed, leaving California with two different visions for addressing crime. The district attorneys’ more punitive approach that seeks to charge people with felonies for repeated theft and fentanyl offenses will appear on the November ballot as Proposition 36, while the Legislature’s effort to curb crime by targeting organized theft rings and online marketplaces now heads to Newsom for his signature.
…Though the bills passed with bipartisan support, they were opposed by many progressive lawmakers, particularly members of the Legislative Black Caucus who don’t want to see more people sent to prison.
…Newsom and legislative leaders have tried to prevent Proposition 36 from reaching the ballot and are likely to announce their official opposition to it. They don’t want to change Proposition 47, arguing that it created beneficial reforms that have reduced California’s prison population and provided funding for drug treatment and other rehabilitative services. They say California can address crime without changing Proposition 47.
The Sacramento Bee noted that several Democrats in tough political races have decided to break with Newsom and to endorse Proposition 36. The ballot initiative is also supported by major retailers, such as Walmart and Home Depot.
One Democrat who was absent from the vote on the ten new anti-theft bills, the Bee noted, was former Senate president pro Tem Toni Atkins (D-San Diego), who is also among the Democratic candidates for governor in 2026.
Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News and the host of Breitbart News Sunday on Sirius XM Patriot on Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET (4 p.m. to 7 p.m. PT). He is the author of “”The Agenda: What Trump Should Do in His First 100 Days,” available for pre-order on Amazon. He is also the author of “The Trumpian Virtues: The Lessons and Legacy of Donald Trump’s Presidency,” now available on Audible. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.
