On Friday, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed 10 bills into law that aim to crack down on retail, auto and property theft.
“Let’s be clear: this is the most significant legislation to address property crime in modern California history. I thank the bipartisan group of lawmakers, our retail partners, and advocates for putting public safety over politics,” Newsom said during a Friday morning news conference. “While some try to take us back to ineffective and costly policies of the past, these new laws present a better way forward — making our communities safer and providing meaningful tools to help law enforcement arrest criminals and hold them accountable.”
Here are the bills Newsom signed into law on Friday:
- AB 2943: Shoplifting
- AB 3209: Retail Theft
- AB 1779: Theft
- AB 1802: Makes the California Highway Patrol property crimes task force permanent
- AB 1972: Expands the California Highway Patrol’s property crimes task force program to include cargo theft and railroad police.
- SB 905: Theft from a vehicle
- SB 1242: Gives a stiffer sentence to people convicted of starting a fire on a retailer’s property to commit organized theft.
- SB 1416: Creates a sentencing enhancement for selling, exchanging, or returning for value an item acquired through shoplifting, burglary, or theft.
- SB 1144: Requires online marketplaces to collect information from high-volume third-party sellers and grants authority to district attorneys to bring civil actions to enforce violations.
- SB 982: Eliminates an end date on the crime of organized retail theft, allowing prosecution to occur indefinitely.
Newsom signed the new laws after he called on lawmakers to address rising retail thefts across the state. This move also comes as Democrats in the state continue to determine how to respond to the increasing public concern about thefts.
The latest debate over theft and drug crime reform in California stems from Proposition 47, which voters approved a decade ago.
Prop. 47 reduced some felonies to misdemeanors and set a $950 threshold for shoplifting charges. The measure was passed at a time when lawmakers needed to alleviate overcrowding in California’s state prisons, which the courts declared were at unconstitutional levels, the Los Angeles Times reported.
An initiative, Prop. 36, could repeal portions of Prop. 47 if voters approve it on Nov. 5.
Prop. 36 aims to further crackdown on retail theft and drug crimes and is funded by retailers like Walmart, Home Depot and Target.
Supporters of the new initiative say Prop. 47 was too soft on criminals and has led to an increase in crime, including smash-and-grab robberies, which are often captured on surveillance video and become viral videos online.
However, some experts say blaming the proposition is unfair and crime statistics aren’t clear on the matter.
Newsom and his political allies have voiced opposition to Prop. 36, calling it draconian crime reform.
However, mayors of California cities like San Francisco, San Diego and San Jose have supported the proposition.