Alas, Prop 36, we knew thee well
Image by Wikimedia Commons
First, DA Rosen slow-walks Prop 36 prosecutions. Now, Newsom defunds it. So much for the popular will expressing itself. CBS Sacramento reports.
One item not mentioned at all in the state budget is causing a stir for some conservative lawmakers and law enforcement advocates. There is no funding allocated for Proposition 36 — the tough-on-crime ballot measure that voters passed in a landslide in the November 2024 general election, increasing penalties for certain drug and retail theft crimes.
Those advocating for Proposition 36 to be funded in the state budget say they needed anywhere from $250 million to $400 million.
“It’s incumbent upon the state and legislature to find a way to fund this issue,” said Greg Totten, CEO of the California District Attorneys Association. “California voters have given us a very clear directive. They support addressing retail theft, they support addressing the drug issue and homelessness and they want treatment for those they see on their streets.”
Totten first fought to get Proposition 36 passed in November, and now the fight continues to get it funded.
Under Proposition 36, those who face drug charges specifically could be charged with a treatment-mandated felony. But after the new law’s rollout, there are still few options for help.
“We are seeking funding for probation departments that supervise individuals that are subject to Prop 36. And we are also, very importantly, seeking funding for behavioral health departments that provide the mechanism for treatment of those individuals suffering from substance use disorder,” said Totten.
But as Newsom points out, on the new measure, Prop 36 was passed by voters with no funding source.
“Prop 36, as you know, is an unfunded mandate,” Newsom responded Wednesday at his budget announcement when a reporter asked if any funding would be allocated for the measure.
Newsom was met with pushback following Wednesday’s budget proposal from Republican lawmakers.
“People want public safety to be the top priority. This Governor and this legislature is ignoring the voices and will of the people of California,” said Sen. Tony Strickland, (R) Huntington Beach.
The California State Association of Counties (CSAC) was also not pleased that Proposition 36 funding was left out.
“Seventy percent of California voters have declared Prop 36 a priority. As a result, the state should do the same and fund the work that needs to happen at the local level,” said Graham Knaus, CEO of the CSAC.
Read the whole thing here.
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