California’s Democratic leaders clash with businesses over curbing retail theft. Here’s what to know

By TRÂN NGUYỄN
Associated Press

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The efforts to tamp down organized retail theft in California this year have largely boiled down to two paths. The first one is a ballot initiative that would create harsher penalties for repeat offenders. The second is a legislative package of bills that would give more tools to law enforcement and retailers to go after professional crime rings. Tensions hit a boiling point this week as leaders behind both efforts accused one another of misleading voters and being unwilling to work toward a compromise. The two campaigns have until later this month to negotiate.