California Initiative Amending Proposition 47 Now Eligible for Vote in November Election

A highly anticipated California initiative that would make changes to Proposition 47 became eligible this week to appear on the statewide ballot in November.

The Office of the Secretary of State announced on Tuesday the Homelessness, Drug Addiction, and Theft Reduction Act had enough valid signatures to be presented to voters during the general election. The measure needed at least 546,651 valid petition signatures to become eligible for voting.

The Secretary of State will certify on June 27 that the measure has qualified for the November vote unless proponents withdraw it.

The initiative, supported by the California District Attorneys Association, would amend parts of Proposition 47, a 2014 ballot measure that reduced certain low-level crimes to misdemeanors and set a $950 limit on shoplifting.

The new initiative would increase penalties for some drug trafficking and robbery crimes. One of the key provisions would increase punishments for someone convicted of shoplifting with two or more prior theft-related convictions.

Advocates argue that theft and other crimes have increased in recent years. They blame Proposition 47, even though experts said it was unclear whether the measure was actually a factor.

Proponents of the measure were confident that their initiative would qualify for a vote by the June 27 deadline.

Gov. Gavin Newsom, Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, D-Hollister, and Senate President Pro Tem Mike McGuire, D-Healdsburg, all oppose the measure. Legislative leaders have their own package of 14 bills aimed at addressing retail theft, that they are currently running through the Capitol.

Accounts recently drew criticism from Republicans and supporters of the initiative after McGuire and Rivas announced they plan to add amendments that would nullify the legislation if voters approve the ballot measure in November. Another change would make the bills take effect immediately after Newsom signs them.

Democrats claim that this prevent possible conflicts between the ballot measure and the retail theft accounts. But Republicans say the changes “set a dangerous precedent, forcing our voters into a false choice between legislative reforms and necessary modifications to Proposition 47.”

Legislative leaders hope to get their measures to the governor’s desk over the next two weeks.