California governor signs a bill bringing back harsh penalties for smash-and-grab robberies

By Tran Nguyen | The Associated PressFILE – California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks to reporters in the spin room before a presidential debate between Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill Thursday bringing back tough criminal penalties targeting large-scale stealing schemes and smash-and-grab robberies that have fueled voter frustration across the state.The new law requires prosecutors to start imposing harsher sentences again for those who damage or destroy property valued at more than $50,000 while committing a felony. A similar law expired in 2018. The new law will sunset by 2030.“California already has some of the strictest retail and property crime laws in the nation — and we have made them even stronger with our recent legislation,” Newsom said in a statement. “We can be tough on crime while also being smart on crime — we don’t need to go back to broken policies of the last century.”The decision to bring back tough penalties comes as Democratic leaders continue to work to prove that they are tough enough on crime while trying...