California voters overwhelmingly approved a ballot measure Tuesday that reverses progressive criminal justice reforms to crack down on property crimes and the use of the deadly drug fentanyl.
Prop. 36 would amend a law approved a decade ago that reduced some felonies to misdemeanors, and was seen as a milestone in California’s attempt to end the tough-on-crime policies of the past. was.
Support for Prop. 36 comes amid growing concerns about crime, homelessness and drug use in the state, an issue that Republicans and Democratic mayors in some large cities took up during the 2024 elections.
“California voters have been voting for more than a decade to reduce over-incarceration and wasteful spending on prisons, increase investment in programs proven to prevent crime in the first place and stop the crime cycle through rehabilitation. “We have appealed to state leaders to do so,” said Anthony York, a California spokesman. No on 36 campaign. “The broad coalition of organizations that opposed Proposition 36 continues to advocate for smart and effective criminal justice reform and new safety solutions that work for all communities.”
Californians also voted Tuesday to approve Proposition 3, which removes the remnants of Proposition 8, the 2008 voter-approved measure that banned same-sex marriage and was later declared unconstitutional.
The bill would repeal outdated provisions and proclaim marriage a “fundamental right” for all, and its supporters, including Gov. Gavin Newsom, said the majority of conservative judges appointed by former President Trump would He said precautions were needed in case the case could be decided in court.
Proposition 32, a statewide ballot initiative to raise California’s current minimum wage of $16 to $2 for all employees by 2026, appeared to be a close race, but was heading toward failure. .
The measure received support from labor unions and anti-poverty activists, but was opposed by powerful business interests.
Prop. 36 is the highest-profile bill to date, raising millions of dollars from both sides, but it is so politically sensitive that Vice President Kamala Harris, Democratic presidential candidate and former California attorney general, declined to say whether it supported the proposal.
Polls leading up to Tuesday’s election showed strong support for Prop. 36 among voters, despite warnings from Mr. Newsom and California’s Democratic leaders in the state’s Legislature, and that the measure would be the most popular in the state earmarked for anti-government activities. He urged voters to approach the ballot measure cautiously, saying it would strip them of their savings. -Recidivism programs and a dramatic increase in prison populations.
Support for Proposition 36 has alarmed criminal justice advocates, who argue that Prop. 47 has helped reduce incarceration and promote reform, while critics say it has contributed to rising crime rates in the state. claims.
Supporters of the bill said Tuesday’s results “reflect Californians’ strong desire for safer communities.”
California voters also considered proposals that could affect things like the state’s response to climate change and rent prices. This story will be updated as vote tallies become available.
Suggestion 2
Voters would approve the bond measure, which would allow the state to borrow $10 billion to modernize K-12 schools and community colleges. The funds will be used to repair aging school buildings, upgrade the library, heating and cooling systems, and broadband internet.
Money from the last successful school bond passed by voters in 2016 has already been exhausted, and the district reports dilapidated buildings, dangerous mold and leaky roofs.
Proposal 4
California voters approved the bond proposal, allowing the state to borrow $10 billion to help respond to climate-related disasters such as droughts, floods and heatwaves. It also helps ensure clean drinking water and protects forests from fires. This is the largest investment in climate action in California history.
California taxpayers would pay back the bonds with interest, at an estimated cost of $400 million a year over the next 40 years, or $16 billion, according to the nonpartisan Sacramento Legislative Analysis Service.
Proposal 5
The measure would make it easier for local governments to approve bonds and tax measures to fund affordable housing and some public infrastructure. Proposition 5 lowers the voting threshold required to approve these measures from a two-thirds supermajority to 55%.
The new standards apply to local measures that impact low-income housing, road and transit expansion, parks, and wildfire resiliency.
Early polling results show a majority of voters oppose the measure.
Proposal 6
The measure would ban involuntary servitude and eliminate forced labor requirements for state prisoners. Proposed constitutional amendment is part of reparations package for descendants of enslaved African Americans in the United States
California is one of eight states that still recognizes involuntary servitude as a criminal penalty. Proposition 6 would eliminate work requirements for state prisoners and instead create a voluntary work program.
Early polling results show a majority of voters oppose the measure.
suggestion 33
California voters rejected a measure that would have emboldened cities and counties to enact rent control. Prop. 33 would repeal a 1995 law known as the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act, which generally prohibits local governments from capping landlord-set rents.
The measure would have given local governments more power to regulate rents and allowed them to mandate price caps.
suggestion 34
The measure would require health care providers to spend most of the revenue they receive from the federal prescription drug discount program on direct patient care.
The law only applies to a very specific group of doctors who spent more than $100 million over a 10-year period on “other than direct patient care.”
Early polling results show the measure has a slight lead.
suggestion 35
California voters approved a measure to permanently fund Medi-Cal, California’s version of Medicaid.
Currently, the tax on managed care insurance plans that funds the program is scheduled to expire in 2026. By imposing taxes, states can receive more federal funds.
