California lawmakers pitch proposal to fight retail theft that does not involve Prop 47

INVESTIGATORS ARE NOW TRYING TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE ORIGINAL FIRE CRACKING DOWN ON RETAIL THEFT. SOME STATE LEADERS TODAY ROLLED OUT A PLAN TO TACKLE THE ISSUE WITHOUT REPEALING THE CONTROVERSIAL LAW KNOWN AS PROP 47. KCRA THREE THREE’S CAPITOL CORRESPONDENT ASHLEY ZAVALA EXPLAINS THIS PROPOSAL. SPEAKER ROBERT RIVAS AND THE DEMOCRATIC LEADER OF THE LEGISLATURE’S SPECIAL COMMITTEE LOOKING INTO RETAIL THEFT, ANNOUNCED A SWEEPING SET OF LAW CHANGES TO TRY TO CRACK DOWN ON THE ISSUE. THE PROPOSAL IS CALLED THE CALIFORNIA RETAIL THEFT REDUCTION ACT. AMONG MANY THINGS, THIS BILL WOULD CREATE A NEW CRIME TARGETING PROFESSIONAL THIEVES, WOULD CREATE NEW REPORTING REQUIREMENTS FOR PEOPLE WHO RESELL GOODS ONLINE. IT WOULD ALSO REQUIRE RETAILERS TO REPORT THEFT DATA. IT ALSO WOULD EXPAND THE USE OF REHABILITATION PROGRAMS LIKE. DRUG COURT, AND IT WOULD ALSO EXPAND TOOLS FOR POLICE TO MAKE ARRESTS AND KEEP REPEAT OFFENDERS IN CUSTODY. THE PLAN APPEARS TO BE VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM CALLED FOR EARLIER THIS YEAR. A LOT OF THE DETAILS ARE STILL BEING FLESHED OUT. LAWMAKERS SAY THESE CHANGES WOULD NOT REQUIRE VOTER APPROVAL. THEY ALSO SAY THEY’RE NECESSARY FOR RETAIL. CRIME IS NOT ONLY BAD FOR BUSINESS, IT ALSO UNDERMINES SAFETY AND THE PERCEPTION OF SAFETY IN OUR COMMUNITIES. WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF THIS BILL, WE ARE DEMONSTRATING THAT THE CALIFORNIA ASSEMBLY HAS LISTENED AND THAT WE ARE SERIOUS ABOUT ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM OF RETAIL CRIME THAT IS PLAGUING OUR COMMUNITIES. THIS COMES AS A GROWING BIPARTISAN GROUP OF ELECTED LEADERS ARE CALLING FOR CHANGES TO PROP 47, WHICH AMONG MANY THINGS ABOUT A DECADE AGO LOOSENED. THE STATE’S LAWS AROUND THEFT. NOW, OPPONENTS OF THOSE POTENTIAL CHANGES SAY THAT THAT COULD REVERT THE STATE BACK TO A TIME WHEN PRISONS WERE OVERCROWDED AND REVERSE THE STATE’S EFFORTS TO REFORM THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. I TRIED TO ASK SPEAKER REAVIS ABOUT WHERE HE STANDS ON THIS DEBATE. YOU, AS THE LEADER OF THIS BODY, DO YOU THINK PROP 47 NEEDS CHANGES? UM, I YOU KNOW, I’M HAPPY TO, YOU KNOW, WE CAN HAVE THAT CONVERSATION AT A LATER TIME. ASHLEY, UH, LIKE I MENTIONED, MY FOCUS HERE HAS BEEN ON THIS LEGISLATIVE PROCESS SEPARATE FROM THE PROPOSAL THAT WAS ROLLED OUT TODAY. STATE LAWMAKERS NOTED THERE ARE 15 TO 20 OTHER PROPOSALS THAT TRY TO TACKLE THIS ISSUE OF RETAIL THEFT, SOME OF WHICH MAY VERY WELL POSSIBLY END UP IN THE HANDS OF VOTERS LATER THIS YEAR. REPORTING AT THE STATE CAPITOL, ASHLEY ZAVALA KCRA THREE NEWS AND REPUBLICAN ARE WEIGHING IN ON THE LATEST RETAIL THEFT PROPOSAL ON X, FORMERLY KNOWN AS TWITTER. ASSEMBLY MEMBER JOE PATTERSON SAID, QUOTE, IT’S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR FOLKS READING THIS TO UNDERSTAND THE FOCUS ON ORGANIZED CRIME. REALLY. DOESN’T HELP MOST SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS IN OUR COMMUNITIES, FOR EXAMPLE, A LOT OF THEFT FROM CONVENIENCE STORES. OR JUST SMALL THIEVES, BUT CURRENT CALIFORNIA LAW ALLOWS THOSE GUYS TO CARRY ON WITH IMPUNITY. THE PROPOSAL

Democratic leaders in the State Assembly on Thursday unveiled a sweeping set of law changes to crack down on organized retail without involving the controversial measure known as Proposition 47. The new proposal is called the California Retail Theft Reduction Act. Among many things, it would create a new crime targeting professional retail thieves with a penalty of up to three years for possession of stolen property with the intent to sell. The proposal would set new requirements for retailers to report thefts, and reporting requirements for people who resell goods online. | PREVIOUS COVERAGE | What to know about the petition to amend Prop 47, which classified certain CA crimes as misdemeanorsThe bill would also provide more tools for law enforcement to make retail-theft-related arrests, expand the use of pre-trial intervention programs including drug courts, and allow law enforcement agencies to keep repeat offenders in custody. State lawmakers said details were still being fleshed out on various aspects of the bill on Thursday. "Retail crime is not only bad for business, it also undermines safety, and the perception of safety in our communities," said Assemblyman Rick Zbur, D-Hollywood, who leads the Assembly's special committee on retail theft. Zbur and other lawmakers questioned if the public's perception of retail theft matched the reality earlier this year. "With the introduction of this bill, it shows the California Assembly has listened and is serious about addressing the problem of retail crime that is plaguing our communities," Zbur said. The proposal comes as a growing, bipartisan group of elected leaders call for changes or a repeal of Prop 47, including efforts to take the issue to voters later this year. About a decade ago, Prop 47 loosened the state's theft laws and has been blamed by various groups for the state's retail theft issue. | MORE | Sacramento County DA, law enforcement, business leaders speak out on organized retail theftThose who oppose changing or repealing Prop 47 have warned it would revert the state back to a time when prisons were overcrowded and reverse California's efforts on criminal justice. Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas would not Thursday where he stands on the debate. "We can have that conversation at a later time," Rivas told KCRA 3. "My focus here has been on the legislative process."

SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

Democratic leaders in the State Assembly on Thursday unveiled a sweeping set of law changes to crack down on organized retail without involving the controversial measure known as Proposition 47.

The new proposal is called the California Retail Theft Reduction Act. Among many things, it would create a new crime targeting professional retail thieves with a penalty of up to three years for possession of stolen property with the intent to sell.

The proposal would set new requirements for retailers to report thefts, and reporting requirements for people who resell goods online.

| PREVIOUS COVERAGE | What to know about the petition to amend Prop 47, which classified certain CA crimes as misdemeanors

The bill would also provide more tools for law enforcement to make retail-theft-related arrests, expand the use of pre-trial intervention programs including drug courts, and allow law enforcement agencies to keep repeat offenders in custody. State lawmakers said details were still being fleshed out on various aspects of the bill on Thursday.

"Retail crime is not only bad for business, it also undermines safety, and the perception of safety in our communities," said Assemblyman Rick Zbur, D-Hollywood, who leads the Assembly's special committee on retail theft. Zbur and other lawmakers questioned if the public's perception of retail theft matched the reality earlier this year.

"With the introduction of this bill, it shows the California Assembly has listened and is serious about addressing the problem of retail crime that is plaguing our communities," Zbur said.

The proposal comes as a growing, bipartisan group of elected leaders call for changes or a repeal of Prop 47, including efforts to take the issue to voters later this year. About a decade ago, Prop 47 loosened the state's theft laws and has been blamed by various groups for the state's retail theft issue.

| MORE | Sacramento County DA, law enforcement, business leaders speak out on organized retail theft

Those who oppose changing or repealing Prop 47 have warned it would revert the state back to a time when prisons were overcrowded and reverse California's efforts on criminal justice.

Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas would not Thursday where he stands on the debate.

"We can have that conversation at a later time," Rivas told KCRA 3. "My focus here has been on the legislative process."

California lawmakers pitch proposal to fight retail theft that does not involve Prop 47

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