California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed a bipartisan package of 10 bills aimed at addressing the growing crisis of smash-and-grab robberies and property crimes.
The legislation introduces stricter penalties for repeat offenders and professional reselling schemes, allowing law enforcement to combine stolen goods from multiple victims for harsher charges.
Additionally, the laws close legal loopholes in auto theft prosecution and require online marketplaces to collect more detailed information from high-volume sellers.
Newsom emphasized that these bills are a “thoughtful” approach to tackling retail theft without returning to “mass incarceration.”
The legislative effort comes as Democrats in California are under increasing pressure to address the surge in visible and brazen crimes, which have been widely publicized through viral videos.
The new laws also respond to the threat posed by Proposition 36, a tougher-on-crime ballot initiative backed by law enforcement and business leaders.
In June 2024, Newsom proposed defunding police and prisons to shift funds in an effort to meet climate goals.
The move comes as the state wrestles with its estimated $27.6 billion deficit.
The state will cut $97 million to trial court operations, $10 million to the Department of Justice’s Division of Law Enforcement, and $80 million to the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
A spokesperson for Newsom told Fox News Digital at the time that the budget proposes “numerous ways” to promote government efficiency and “reduce costs for taxpayers, including cuts on inmate spending.”
“Since Governor Newsom took office in 2019, the state has made record investments in law enforcement, including $1.1 billion to tackle crime, support police, and hold criminals accountable,” the spokesperson said.
As the governor is removing funding for law enforcement, he has also offered $1.7 billion to support the state’s climate agenda.
Last month, a reporter asked Newsom, “Can we explain to Californians how we moved from a $100 billion surplus to such a significant deficit in just a matter of a few years?”
Newsom blamed “climate change.”
