By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Members of California’s Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) last week rallied against Proposition 36 in Sacramento on Aug. 20, arguing that, if approved, the proposal would disproportionally impact Black and Brown communities statewide.

Prop 36 aims to increase penalties for retail theft, upgrading charges for some criminal offenses from misdemeanors to felonies. Black caucus members who have been vocal in their opposition of the legislation include Assemblymembers Mia Bonta (D-Alameda), Isaac Bryan (D Ladera Heights), Reggie Jones-Sawyer (D-Los Angeles), and Tina McKinnor (D-Inglewood).

Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D-Los Angeles) was also among a coalition of Democratic leaders rallying against the bill on Aug. 20 at the State Capitol. Other Democratic lawmakers attending the press conference included Assemblymembers Ash Kalra (D-San Jose) and Alex Lee (D-San Jose).

Bryan challenged fellow Democrats to advocate for laws that aim to alleviate poverty and crime calling Prop 36 a bipartisan failure.

“We are not going back. For decades, communities have been calling for us to invest in safe solutions that address the root causes of poverty and desperation. Prop. 36 is a return to the bipartisan failures of the 1980s and 90s. We can and must do better,” Bryan said in a statement.

He condemned the law stating that “every dollar we spend criminalizing poverty is a dollar we could’ve better spent ending it.”

Gov. Gavin Newsom criticized the ballot measure, stating that Prop 36 would be costly for the state and potentially lead to the overcrowding of state prisons.

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