Proposition 47 was passed by California voters back in 2014. Now, an effort is underway to roll back the law that has been blamed for rampant theft. State lawmakers are trying to preserve progressive policies and stay away from putting more people behind bars.
At the center of the escalating political fight is Proposition 47, a progressive ballot measure passed by voters in 2014 that reduced certain theft and drug possession offenses from felonies to misdemeanors - in part to mitigate overcrowding in jails and prisons. That includes nonviolent property crimes such as thefts under $950.
The ballot measure would still need to be certified by the Secretary of State before it could be placed on the ballot later this month. Instead, lawmakers are fast-tracking a legislative package of 14 bills that would go after organized online reseller schemes and auto thieves, and provide funding for drug addiction counselors. These proposals could become laws as early as this month.If voters approve the tough-on-crime ballot initiative, Democratic leaders plan to void most measures in their own legislative package, citing potential conflicts.
The ballot initiative campaign accused lawmakers of holding the proposals hostage to break up the coalition. Local district attorneys who backed the ballot campaign said both efforts could work together, with the ballot measure overriding the legislative package in case of legal conflicts.Backers of the ballot initiative said they're still open to working with Democratic leadership but will only consider any solutions that involve rolling back Proposition 47.