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LOS ANGELES — California legislative leaders are expediting bills to address retail theft, leveraging this reform package to pressure supporters of a proposed tough-on-crime initiative to withdraw their effort. This initiative, headed for the November ballot, has been backed by the Californians for Safer Communities Coalition, led by local district attorneys.
In a recent closed-door meeting, representatives for Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas (D-Hollister) met with the coalition leaders, indicating that the legislature’s hard-line strategy may force voters to choose between the two measures, potentially dividing support for the ballot initiative.
Legislative sources and a Republican letter revealed that unless the ballot measure is withdrawn, Democratic leaders plan to introduce an “inoperability clause” to their legislation. This clause would revoke the new laws if voters pass the statewide proposition in November. Republican lawmakers criticized these changes, warning they could undermine bipartisan progress on retail theft.
The bipartisan 12-bill legislative package aims to address retail theft issues, focusing on worker and store owner safety without increasing penalties for some offenders. Conversely, the proposed ballot initiative seeks to revise Proposition 47, making fentanyl possession a felony and imposing harsher penalties for repeat theft offenders.
Daniel Conway, vice president of government relations for the California Grocers Association, praised the Speaker’s efforts, stating, “The Speaker has done more in eight months than anyone has done in eight years to push the conversation forward.”
Gov. Gavin Newsom has expressed opposition to the ballot initiative, advocating for legislative reforms instead. However, law enforcement groups and conservative prosecutors argue that substantial changes require voter approval.
Proposition 47, approved by voters in 2014, reclassified certain felony drug and theft offenses as misdemeanors and raised the threshold for felony theft prosecution from $400 to $950. The current political maneuvering could splinter the ballot measure coalition, which has support from law enforcement and major retailers.
Rachel Michelin, president of the California Retailers Association, supports the legislative package but is frustrated with the political tactics. “I am just trying to provide resources to retailers and law enforcement to keep our customers safe,” she said. “My fear is we lose all of these things in the package if they move forward to initiative. That would be detrimental.”
