Two years ago, proponents of Proposition 36 pledged the measure would curb crime, substance abuse and homelessness in California.
So after voters overwhelmingly passed it, how well is the law working?
We’re publishing a special report today looking at how the law is affecting lives on the ground in courts and in jails. CalMatters’ Marisa Kendall and Cayla Mihalovich found that even officials who support the law and believe it has the potential to do good also acknowledge that some people it was intended to help with drug treatment are falling through the cracks.
- Matt Mahan, San Jose mayor and Prop. 36 proponent: “People are waiting and dying on the streets for lack of a proper treatment system. The fundamental problem remains, which is that the state has refused to take ownership of building a robust treatment system that is going to serve the needs of people.
Our reporters also found that counties are implementing the law in wildly different ways. Under Prop. 36, certain drug and theft offenses are no longer considered a misdemeanor, but rather a “treatment-mandated felony.” People facing those charges can either choose treatment or serve time in prison. But the law doesn’t specify how long someone needs to remain in treatment before their charges are dropped. In Ventura County programs last three months. In San Luis Obispo County, it’s two years.
For some, putting their lives on hold as they complete treatment can affect their ability to repair other aspects of their lives, like finding work.
After finishing a three-month residential treatment program in Sonoma County for allegedly possessing fentanyl, Aaron Kasper thought his charges would be dropped. But for the remainder of his year-long court-mandated time, he was required to undergo random drug testing and attend regular court appearances, outpatient treatments and self-help meetings.
Since Kasper entered a plea deal, he knew it would be futile to apply for jobs with a felony conviction on his record. He lived off savings and postponed his job search until two weeks before his year was up.
- Kasper: “I tried to make the best of a horrible situation.”
Join CalMatters and the UCR School of Public Policy on Sept. 24 in Riverside for a conversation about our investigation into the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department seizure of mail ballots and what it means for future elections. Register today.
Other Stories You Should Know
Formerly red district now a wild congressional matchup
Healthcare costs are top of mind for voters this election, and one competitive U.S. House race in Northern California could help determine the fate of federal health policy, writes CalMatters’ Kristen Hwang.
In one corner: Dr. Richard Pan, a pediatrician and former state senator, who is a longtime advocate for childhood vaccines, supports universal health coverage and says President Donald Trump’s changes to Medicaid will be the primary driver of growing healthcare costs.
In the other: Rep. Kevin Kiley, a two-time incumbent and Republican-turned-independent. He opposes vaccine mandates and single-payer healthcare, and blames Sacramento lawmakers for the state’s high cost of living.
Both are vying to represent California’s 6th congressional district, which encompasses parts of Yolo, Sacramento and Placer counties. Their race is attracting intense interest from both parties not only because of the candidates’ opposing views, but also because last year’s redistricting split Placer into three left-leaning areas.
This has injected new energy into the election, said Julann Brown, the chairperson of the Placer County Democratic Party.
- Brown: “Now we have three winnable Democratic seats. We’ve become relevant in a way that we didn’t expect.”
Will Newsom sign child marriage ban?
After nearly a decade of failed attempts to outlaw child marriage in California, a bill to ban the practice now awaits Gov. Gavin Newsom, reports CalMatters’ Nadia Lathan.
In California it’s legal for anyone younger than 18 to get married, so long as a parent and judge approve. About 9,000 children are married each year in the state, with the vast majority involving girls marrying adult men. Critics of marriages between children and adults argue that it implicitly legalizes a sexual relationship that would otherwise be considered statutory rape under state law.
Similar attempts to ban the practice failed after facing opposition from the American Civil Liberties Union and Planned Parenthood, which have argued that marriage grants minors critical benefits and legal protections, such as pathways to emancipation and reproductive choice.
But this year, bill proponents say that Trump’s efforts to defund organizations including Planned Parenthood, could render the organizations less likely to oppose Democrats on controversial issues such as banning child marriage.
And lastly: Immigration agents likely violated Constitution, judge says
A federal judge has ruled that immigration enforcement agents likely violated the Constitution by arresting people without a warrant before determining whether they were flight risks. The ruling is a win for immigration advocates who are suing the federal administration to stop agents from making warrantless arrests. Read more from CalMatters’ Sergio Olmos and Wendy Fry.
California Voices
CalMatters columnist Dan Walters: The governor and legislators are withholding billions of dollars from the education of children, while spending huge amounts on pork-barrel projects and luxury travel.
CalMatters contributor Jim Newton: In their debates over public safety, Los Angeles mayoral hopefuls are missing the mark — focusing more on whether to fire the police chief rather than considering the proper way to evaluate the police department’s effectiveness and responsiveness.
The story of Biddy Mason, who broke free from slavery and built a real estate empire, is also the story of L.A.’s transformation from a slaveholding backwater to the modern metropolis we know today, writes Kevin Waite, author of “The Boundless Biddy Mason: An Odyssey from Slavery to Freedom Across the American West.”
Other things worth your time:
NBC LA reporter Moreno and pilot Marciniw killed in news helicopter crash // NBC LA (free)
Fewer than half of Americans expect midterm elections to be ‘free and fair,’ poll finds // Los Angeles Times (paywall)
Paramount sets CA exit plans over antitrust battle, stymied Warner Bros. merger // Deadline (free)
Chino Valley Unified’s transgender student disclosure policy dealt another setback // EdSource (free)
The $75k-a-year private school encouraging kids to go viral on Twitter // The San Francisco Standard (paywall)
How AI risks are splitting Silicon Valley and Washington // The New York Times (gift link)
Santa Ana bans city employees from moonlighting for ICE // LAist (free)
Cancer research saved this Berkeley resident. Its future may depend on Trump // KQED (free)
