Senate Leader McGuire, Senate colleagues announce new bipartisan legislative package: Working together for a safer California

In an effort to address the fentanyl crisis and retail and community-based crime impacting communities throughout the Golden State, Senate President pro Tempore Mike McGuire (DNorth Coast) and a bipartisan coalition of Senate members today announced a comprehensive legislative package aimed at making our state a Safer California.

The legislative package — called Working Together for a Safer California — is built upon months of research, input from stakeholders and experts, and feedback from Californians. The plan focuses on both the fentanyl crisis and retail and community-based crime, and includes increasing access to treatment, offering rehabilitative services for those already in the criminal justice system, preventing trafficking of dangerous new substances, and addressing and deterring retail theft and community-based crimes.

“Alone, these bills are strategic ways to tackle these dual crises of fentanyl and retail theft. But collectively, they are working together for a Safer California,” noted McGuire. He noted that the plan includes a series of targeted policies aimed at stemming the rising tide of retail theft that's impacting our communities, while also enhancing and protecting the quality of life for Californians and businesses up and down our state. And it includes a slate of legislation built on months of research and extensive outreach with all sides of the fentanyl crisis — a deadly epidemic that we propose to address through evidence-based treatment, prevention, and rehabilitation efforts. I can't thank this bold group of bipartisan Senators enough for their dedication to move this Plan forward, and look forward to our continued partnership with Speaker Rivas, the Assembly, and Gov. Newsom to deliver results for Californians and our communities.”

Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine, led to 6,473 deaths in 2022, according to the California Overdose Surveillance Dashboard. Research on the science of addiction and treatment of substance use disorders has led to research-based approaches that help people stop the cycle of addiction and lead productive lives, the National Institute on Drug Abuse reports.

While shoplifting saw a decrease during the COVID-19 pandemic, commercial burglary saw a sharp and sudden increase. From 2019 to 2022, commercial burglary increased by 15.7 percent.

In 2020, commercial burglary became a more commonly reported retail crime than even shoplifting. That, coupled with the increasing reliance on online retail, has created a massive issue for businesses and law enforcement that has been difficult to manage. The bills in the Senate plan are aimed at stemming the rising tide of property-related crime in California.

The Safer California plan includes bills authored by Senators Angelique Ashby (D-Sacramento), Dave Min (D-Irvine), Josh Newman (D-Fullerton), Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh (R-Yucaipa), Richard Roth (D-Riverside), Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley), Thomas Umberg (DSanta Ana), Aisha Wahab (D-Hayward), and Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco).

A list of bills and more information is available online at: https://sd02.senate. ca.gov/news/senate-leadermcguire-senate-colleaguesannounce-new-bipartisanlegislative-package-working