Golden State Today

On August 16, 2024, Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law a significant bipartisan legislative package aimed at cracking down on property and retail crime in California. The new laws introduce tougher penalties for repeat offenders, additional tools for felony prosecutions, and measures to address serial shoplifting, retail theft, and auto burglaries.

Governor Newsom stated, "Let’s be clear, this is the most significant legislation to address property crime in modern California history. I thank the bipartisan group of lawmakers, our retail partners, and advocates for putting public safety over politics."

Senate President pro Tempore Mike McGuire emphasized the collaborative effort behind the legislation: "A promise made is a promise kept — we’re taking bipartisan action to make our communities safer and stronger. These ten critical bills will crack down on retail theft, blunt local crime, and help our downtowns thrive for decades to come."

Speaker of the Assembly Robert Rivas highlighted the support from business owners: "California’s hard-working business owners asked for our help, and today we are delivering thoughtful, balanced new laws that will protect their livelihoods, workers and customers."

Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur expressed gratitude towards Governor Newsom and Speaker Rivas: "This legislation directly benefits Californians by addressing the urgent issue of retail crime... By working together with various stakeholders, we crafted a balanced solution that disrupts retail crime rings while maintaining crucial criminal justice reforms."

The newly signed laws offer several measures to bolster efforts against property crimes:

- Stricter penalties for individuals involved in retail and property theft.

- Enhanced enforcement capabilities allowing police to arrest suspects with probable cause.

- Aggregation of stolen goods' value across different victims and counties to meet felony thresholds.

- New penalties targeting smash-and-grab incidents.

- Increased penalties for automotive property thefts.

- Extension of organized retail crime statutes.

Since January 2024, CHP's Organized Retail Crime Task Force has made 884 arrests and recovered stolen goods valued at over $7.2 million.

The enacted measures include AB 1779 (Theft: jurisdiction), AB 1802 (Crimes: organized theft), AB 1972 (Regional property crimes task force), AB 2943 (Crimes: shoplifting), AB 3209 (Retail theft restraining orders), SB 905 (Theft from a vehicle), SB 982 (Organized theft), SB 1144 (Online marketplaces), SB 1242 (Crimes: fires), and SB 1416 (Sentencing enhancements). Additionally, Governor Newsom is expected to sign AB 1960 soon.

Since 2019, Governor Newsom has invested $1.1 billion in public safety initiatives aimed at combating organized retail crime. Last year alone saw $267 million distributed to local communities to enhance their capabilities in fighting such crimes.

In summary:

These new laws represent a comprehensive approach toward addressing evolving criminal tactics in California while maintaining robust existing legal frameworks. The collaborative effort between lawmakers aims to ensure safer communities through effective law enforcement tools.