Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) requested a legislation package to reduce retail theft while Democrats grow divided on the issue as some big cities see an alarming rise in crime. 

Newsom’s legislative framework would expand police and prosecutor resources to crack down on “professional criminals” committing retail theft, property crimes, and organized auto burglary.

“Building on California’s existing laws and record public safety investments, I’m calling for new legislation to expand criminal penalties for those profiting on retail theft and auto burglaries,” Newsom said in a press statement Tuesday. “These laws will make California safer and bolster police and prosecutor tools to arrest and hold professional criminals accountable.”

The California Democrat is adopting a tough-on-crime approach as three California cities — Los Angeles, Oakland, and San Francisco, are in the top 10 areas most affected by organized retail crime in the nation, according to a study from The National Retail Federation, the world’s largest retail trade association. Retail crime data in California has been contested after the NRF walked back a claim in December cited multiple times in an April report that organized retail crime accounted for “nearly half” of inventory losses. 

Newsom wants to implement new laws without reversing Proposition 47 — passed by voters in 2014 classifying some non-violent crimes as misdemeanors. Some Republicans blame Democrats for continually backing Prop 47 for negatively affecting California’s public safety. 

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“You cannot effectively address property crime without reforming Prop 47 and at least having the threat of real accountability for thieves. Cite and release doesn’t work,” GOP state Rep. James Gallagher said on X, formerly known as Twitter, in response to Newsom’s all for a crime legislative package. 

Democrats in California’s state legislature have focused on decreasing retail theft and crimes early on this year, with Speaker Robert Rivas creating a special committee to look into the rise of retail crime amid a number of proposals to amend Prop 47.