OAN Staff James Meyers
11:49 AM – Wednesday, November 6, 2024
California voters approved a ballot measure by a massive margin to more harshly punish certain crimes, with the initiative garnering a staggering 70.6% support with nearly 7.6 million ballots counted.
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The outcome of the Golden State’s Proposition 36 reflected a backlash to light penalties for shoplifting and drug-related crimes, and it passed despite criticism from Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom.
Prop 36 authorizes felony charges for possession of drugs, including fentanyl and for thefts under $950 if the offender has two prior drug or theft convictions, according to the official summary of its provisions.
The nascent law creates a new category of crime called “treatment-mandated felony” that allows a person to have their drug conviction set aside if they complete rehab.
“Defendants who plead guilty to felony drug possession and complete treatment can have charges dismissed,” according to the measure’s summary.
Newsom strongly opposed the measure, saying that, “Prop 36 takes us back to the 1980s, mass incarceration promotes a promise that can’t be delivered.”
Advocates of Prop 36 argued that the stricter crime laws are necessary to preserve a better quality of life for tax paying residents, running ads citing the impact of consistent shoplifting, which has forced many stores to lock up certain items and even shutter due to the rise in robberies and increased prices.
The group behind the initiative also argued that it offered a balanced approach to drug users by adopting treatment-mandated sentences similar to what exists in other states.
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