By Anabel Sosa | LA Times
SACRAMENTO — California lawmakers on Monday gave final approval to a package of 10 bills meant to combat retail theft, an effort that divided Democrats as they confronted key issues in the upcoming November election.
The legislation has been the focus of intense political debate all year, with Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders responding to the pressure created by a tough-on-crime ballot measure that would stiffen penalties for retail theft. Democratic leaders were hopeful their bills could sway prosecutors to drop the measure, but negotiations collapsed, leaving California with two different visions for addressing crime. The district attorneys’ more punitive approach that seeks to charge people with felonies for repeated theft and fentanyl offenses will appear on the November ballot as Proposition 36, while the Legislature’s effort to curb crime by targeting organized theft rings and online marketplaces now heads to Newsom for his signature.
“Retail theft is not only bad for business, it also undermines safety,” Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur (D-Los Angeles), who leads a special committee created this year to address the issue, said during Monday’s vote on the Assembly floor. “I appreciate that there is a wide range of views in this body and the community, but getting this to the right place has been complicated. Many members of this body have raised concerns that are passionate and authentic, and I respect them.”
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