Top California Democrats announce ballot measure targeting retail theft

SACRAMENTO, California — Leading Democrats in California announced Sunday that they will ask voters to approve a plan to tackle shoplifting.

The plan is an attempt to compete with another crime-focused measure backed by a coalition of business groups that lawmakers said would put more people behind bars. Both proposals would include making shoplifting a felony for repeat offenders and increasing penalties for fentanyl dealers.

below the shopkeepers plan, all prior theft-related convictions, even if they occurred years ago, would count toward a three-strike policy for enhanced sentences. Lawmakers are also proposing stiffer penalties for repeat thieves, but the convictions would have to come within three years of each other.

Prosecutors would be able to add up the amount of all stolen property within three years to charge more serious offenses under the Democrats’ plan.

Lawmakers hope to get the measure on the ballot in November. They will vote to pass the plan and deliver it to Gov. Gavin Newsom for his signature by Wednesday’s deadline.

The last-minute plan is an attempt by leading California Democrats to thwart another initiative against shoplifters and drug dealers. The initiative is supported by a broad coalition of businesses, law enforcement and local officials.

The business groups’ proposal, which is set to be voted on in November, would also make fentanyl possession a felony and authorize judges to order people with multiple drug offenses to undergo treatment.

Lawmakers said the change would disproportionately incarcerate low-income people and those with substance use problems instead of targeting leaders who hire large groups of people to steal goods for online resale.

Republican lawmakers rejected the Democrats’ plan, with one calling it “ a sham “to confuse voters.

The coalition of retailers and state leaders has clashed over how to act shoplifting crimes.

The retailers’ proposal would roll back parts of Proposition 47, the progressive ballot measure approved by 60% of state voters in 2014 that reduced certain theft and drug possession offenses from crimes to misdemeanors help address prison overcrowding. In recent years, Proposition 47 has become the focus of criticism that California is too lax on crime.

Democratic leaders, including Newsom, repeatedly rejected calls to overturn Proposition 47 or go back to the voters for crime reform.

Democratic lawmakers went into overdrive a legislative package of 13 accounts that would go after organized online reseller schemes and car thieves and funding for drug addiction counselors. State leaders had planned to sign the proposals into law as early as this month and nullify the package if voters approve the business groups’ proposal in November. They abandoned that plan Saturday night.

Democrats also worry that retailers’ proposal to get tougher on crime could… bring in more Republicans and conservative voters to the polls in contentious races in the U.S. House of Representatives that could determine control of Congress.

Crime is emerging as the top political issue in California’s November elections. Mayor of San Francisco London race and the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office George Gascon face stiff opposition if they are re-elected from opponents who have criticized their approach to crime and punishment.