April 22, 2015
In November of 2014, Californians voted to pass Proposition 47 - a measure
that reclassified some nonviolent felony crimes to misdemeanors.
Proposition 47 also allowed
current prisoners to petition judges to reduce their sentences based on the new
reclassification of their crimes. The expected savings from incarcerating less people was estimated by the Legislative Analyst’s
Office to be up to $200 million annually. These savings were designed to be
invested in mental health programs, drug treatment, early education and other
infrastructure.
Will Proposition 47 be amended?
With a few months of
implementation underway in California, there are many perspectives about the
impact of Proposition 47.
There have even been changes to Proposition 47 proposed by the California Legislature
this year. If any of these proposed changes in the form of Senate or
Assembly bills are passed and signed by the Governor,
they would require a majority affirmative vote by the voters to amend Proposition 47.
Learn more about proposed changes to Proposition 47:
Check out these resources and perspectives about the implementation of Proposition 47:
- Steps to qualify to reclassify an offense or be resentenced
- The California Endowment
- Californians for Safety and Justice
- Project Kinship
- San Diego Union Tribune article
- Read the original
ballot measure from the November 2014 ballot
