Top California Democrats announce ballot measure targeting retail theft

The plan is an effort to compete with another crime-focused measure that California lawmakers said would result in more people being put behind bars.

Under the retailers' plan, any prior theft-related convictions, even if they happened years ago, would count toward a three-strike policy for increased sentences. Lawmakers also are proposing harsher punishment for repeat thieves, but the convictions would have to happen within three years of each other.

They hope to place the measure as the first item on the ballot in November. With two competing measures on the ballot, the one with more votes would prevail.The last-minute plan is an attempt by top California Democrats to override another initiative cracking down on shoplifters and drug dealers, which is backed by a broad coalition of businesses, district attorneys and local officials. The coalition and state leaders have clashed over how to crack down retail theft crimes.

But lawmakers said the retailers' proposal is too broad. They worry those changes would disproportionately incarcerate low-income people and those with substance use issues rather than target ringleaders who hire large groups of people to steal goods for resale online.

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