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2014 California Proposition 47
Proposition 47, also known as the Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act, was a referendum passed by voters in the state of California on November 4, 2014. It recategorized some nonviolent offenses as misdemeanors rather than felonies, as they had previously been categorized.
The crimes affected were:
The proposition was partly repealed by Proposition 36 in 2024.
In 2010, the California Legislature adopted AB 2372, which made most thefts of a value under $950 misdemeanors, increasing the threshold from $400, which had been in effect since 1982. This was done to keep the definition of felony theft consistent, while adjusting for the effects of inflation. Proposition 47 confirmed this action of the Legislature, and applied it to a few thefts which had not been addressed by the Legislature, primarily auto theft and the theft of some agricultural products. The measure also converted other nonviolent offenses, such as drug offenses, from felonies to misdemeanors.
The measure required that money saved as a result of the measure, would be spent on "school truancy and dropout prevention, victim services, mental health, and drug abuse treatment, and other programs designed to keep offenders out of prison and jail."
The measure included exceptions for offenses involving more than $950 and criminals with records including violence or sex offenses. For example, forgery had previously been a "wobbler" offense that could be charged by the prosecutor as a misdemeanor, or a felony. After the passage of Proposition 47, prosecutors cannot charge a forgery involving less than $950 as a felony, unless the defendant has a prior criminal record.
Proposition 47 was introduced to address prison overcrowding, adopt alternative sentencing methods, and reduce nonviolent offense incarcerations. It reclassified specific offenses – including some theft offenses not previously addressed in AB2372 and certain drug-related charges – as misdemeanors, rather than felonies. It did not eliminate the prosecution of these offenses. Prior to the adoption of AB2372 and the proposition, many instances of shoplifting were treated as misdemeanors. Since most shoplifting cases involve amounts under $400, the enforcement approach did not significantly alter prosecutions before or after the law's enactment.
Proposition 47 affects future convictions, and allows for people currently incarcerated for crimes covered by the measure to petition for re-sentencing.
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2014 California Proposition 47
Proposition 47, also known as the Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act, was a referendum passed by voters in the state of California on November 4, 2014. It recategorized some nonviolent offenses as misdemeanors rather than felonies, as they had previously been categorized.
The crimes affected were:
The proposition was partly repealed by Proposition 36 in 2024.
In 2010, the California Legislature adopted AB 2372, which made most thefts of a value under $950 misdemeanors, increasing the threshold from $400, which had been in effect since 1982. This was done to keep the definition of felony theft consistent, while adjusting for the effects of inflation. Proposition 47 confirmed this action of the Legislature, and applied it to a few thefts which had not been addressed by the Legislature, primarily auto theft and the theft of some agricultural products. The measure also converted other nonviolent offenses, such as drug offenses, from felonies to misdemeanors.
The measure required that money saved as a result of the measure, would be spent on "school truancy and dropout prevention, victim services, mental health, and drug abuse treatment, and other programs designed to keep offenders out of prison and jail."
The measure included exceptions for offenses involving more than $950 and criminals with records including violence or sex offenses. For example, forgery had previously been a "wobbler" offense that could be charged by the prosecutor as a misdemeanor, or a felony. After the passage of Proposition 47, prosecutors cannot charge a forgery involving less than $950 as a felony, unless the defendant has a prior criminal record.
Proposition 47 was introduced to address prison overcrowding, adopt alternative sentencing methods, and reduce nonviolent offense incarcerations. It reclassified specific offenses – including some theft offenses not previously addressed in AB2372 and certain drug-related charges – as misdemeanors, rather than felonies. It did not eliminate the prosecution of these offenses. Prior to the adoption of AB2372 and the proposition, many instances of shoplifting were treated as misdemeanors. Since most shoplifting cases involve amounts under $400, the enforcement approach did not significantly alter prosecutions before or after the law's enactment.
Proposition 47 affects future convictions, and allows for people currently incarcerated for crimes covered by the measure to petition for re-sentencing.