California lawmakers introduce a Bipartisan Bill package addressing Fentanyl and Shoplifting
Sacramento, CA: The California lawmakers introduced a bipartisan set of laws aimed at addressing the state’s theft and fentanyl overdose issues. The legislation have a great likelihood of being passed due to the support of the top Democratic and Republican leaders in the state senate.
Some initiatives directly address the two issues, while others have a less evident connection. The 14-bill package comprises two types of bills: one emphasizing an evidence-based strategy for addressing fentanyl with an emphasis on healthcare access, and the other targeting retail theft and community-based crime.
SB 1144, proposed by Senator Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley, mandates that an online marketplace must confirm that every consumer goods promoted on its platform by a high-volume third-party seller was obtained legally. California would need to establish a licensing system for online marketplaces and high-volume third-party sellers.
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A reasonable license fee would be charged to cover the regulatory costs of developing, implementing, and maintaining the California Online Market Anti-Theft system and the licensing system.
The extent to which common shoplifting contributes to significant sales on sites like Amazon is uncertain. In San Francisco, numerous shoplifters sell their stolen products through illicit street vending activities.
SB 1416, presented by State Sen. Josh Newman, D-Fullerton, was initially a spot bill with minimal details but is set to be revised to enhance penalties for professional organized retail theft.
California Senator Scott Wiener, a Democrat from San Francisco, has introduced SB 905 to close a loophole in California law that enables thieves who break into a car to avoid conviction if prosecutors cannot prove the car was locked.
Currently, it is difficult to prosecute offenders who break into a car through a window and unlock it. This proposed law would allow forcible entrance, such smashing a glass, to be used as evidence in such cases.
SB 1442, proposed by State Senator Rosilicie Ochoa Bough, R-Yucaipa, and SB 1468 (Ochoa Bough and State Senator Richard Roth, D-Riverside) target fentanyl. SB 1442 mandates CalRx, the state-owned pharmaceutical manufacturing entity, to develop fentanyl testing strips for end-users to test drugs for potential fentanyl contamination.
SB 1468, initially introduced as a placeholder bill, is intended to be revised to promote providers to prescribe three-day supplies of Narcan, an opioid overdose antidote.
SB 1502, introduced by State Senator Angelique Ashby, D-Sacramento, aligns with California Governor Gavin Newsom’s call to combat the illegal use and distribution of Xylazine, a substance commonly referred to as “tranq” and linked to increasing overdose fatalities across the country.
