CA Democratic leaders champion crime legislation

(CALMATTERS) – Now that Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law a spate of retail theft bills pushed by Democratic leaders, some Democrats are primed to champion the legislation and oppose a separate crime ballot measure, Proposition 36. Assembly Speaker& Robert Rivas& plans to promote the 10 new laws today in Salinas, alongside police officers, business leaders and a handful of other legislators. As CalMatters criminal justice reporter& Nigel Duara& explains, the laws& make it easier to prosecute people for retail and vehicle theft. When Newsom& signed the measures on Friday, he called them “the most significant legislation to address property crime in modern California history.” Newsom and Democratic leaders& including Rivas& have& positioned the laws& as an alternative to Prop. 36. Outside the state Capitol today, Democratic legislators led by Assemblymember& Isaac Bryan& of Culver City also plan to hold a rally pushing back against the measure. Meanwhile, Prop. 36 proponents are not impressed by the retail theft legislation, calling them “half measures.” The laws enhance punishments without overhauling Prop. 47 — a measure voters passed in 2014 that changed some felony crimes to misdemeanors. Critics of Prop. 47 argue that Prop. 36 goes further to combat property crimes and...