California Politics 360 Full Episode

California Politics 360 Full Episode | One year of Prop. 36

On California Politics 360, we look at data from two counties in Northern California to see how many people have done the mandated treatment

STANCE ON CRIME. BUT HOW EFFECTIVE HAS PROPOSITION 36 BEEN? ONE YEAR IN PROP 36 IS A FAILURE. IT SEEMS TO BE WORKING HERE FOR US. IT’S WORKING IN SOME PLACES, BUT IT’S NOT WORKING IN MOST COUNTIES. IT’S NOT WORKING STATEWIDE. WHAT DEMOCRATIC SAN JOSE MAYOR MATT MEHAN SAYS NEEDS TO BE DONE AT THE STATE LEVEL. A NEW LEADER IN THE CALIFORNIA SENATE, THE PRIORITIES FOR MONIQUE LIMON. THANKS FOR JOINING US FOR CALIFORNIA POLITICS. 360 I’M ASHLEY ZAVALA. IT’S BEEN A YEAR SINCE PROPOSITION 36 WENT INTO EFFECT AFTER OVERWHELMING SUPPORT FROM VOTERS. THE MEASURE INCREASED PENALTIES FOR REPEAT THEFT AND DRUG CRIMES. PEOPLE COULD BE CHARGED WITH A FELONY INSTEAD OF A MISDEMEANOR IF THEY HAVE TWO OR MORE SIMILAR PRIOR CONVICTIONS. THIS WOULD APPLY TO PETTY THEFT AND SHOPLIFTING, OR IF SOMEONE WAS IN POSSESSION OF HARD DRUGS LIKE FENTANYL, COCAINE, OR METH FOR THE DRUG CASES. PROP 36 ALSO CREATED A NEW PROCESS ALLOWING OFFENDERS TO DO TREATMENT INSTEAD OF PRISON TIME. THE IDEA WAS TO GET TO THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM AND STOP THE CYCLE. NOW, ONE YEAR LATER, IS IS IT WORKING? LYSEE MITRI FINDS OUT. COURTHOUSES ACROSS CALIFORNIA. AS OF DECEMBER 18TH OF 2024 SAW A CHANGE. THE WAY IN WHICH WE FILED DRUG POSSESSION CASES CHANGED DRASTICALLY. ALL BECAUSE OF MORE THAN 68% OF VOTERS. THE GOAL IS TREATMENT. NOW, MORE THAN ONE YEAR INTO PROP 36, MANY ARE TRYING TO JUDGE IF IT’S ACCOMPLISHING THAT GOAL. SO WHAT’S THE VERDICT? PROP 36 IS A FAILURE. IT SEEMS TO BE WORKING HERE FOR US. LET’S LOOK AT THE EVIDENCE. OUR INVESTIGATIVE TEAM REQUESTED THE NUMBERS IN THE FIRST TEN MONTHS OF THE NEW LAW, THE STANISLAUS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE SAYS IT CHARGED 770 PEOPLE UNDER PROP 36 WITH FELONY DRUG CHARGES. THAT’S MORE THAN ANY OTHER COUNTY IN THE SACRAMENTO VALLEY. EVEN MORE POPULOUS PLACES LIKE SAN JOAQUIN AND SACRAMENTO. AND WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION IN SEEING HOW STANISLAUS COUNTY NUMBERS COMPARED TO OTHER COUNTIES IN THE AREA? IT’S DISHEARTENING. IT’S COMPLETELY FRUSTRATING. WE SAT DOWN WITH THE PUBLIC DEFENDER’S OFFICE AND THE DA’S OFFICE IN OCTOBER. THE WHOLE POINT OF THIS PROP 36 IS, YOU KNOW, NOT TO PUNISH THE DEFENDANTS. IT’S TO HOPEFULLY GIVE THEM A BETTER OPPORTUNITY TO LEAD A DIFFERENT LIFESTYLE. BUT OUT OF THE 770 CHARGED AT THE TIME, 145 CHOSE TREATMENT. THAT MEANS THEY HAD TO PLEAD GUILTY OR NO CONTEST TO THE FELONY THEY’RE SUPPOSED TO GET A SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH ASSESSMENT, THEN TREATMENT, AND IF THEY COMPLETE IT. CASE DISMISSED. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES YOU’VE FACED SO FAR? SOME OF THEM ARE IN CUSTODY AT THE TIME OF THEIR ASSESSMENT, SO THE ASSESSMENT MAY COME BACK THAT THEY ARE AMENABLE TO TREATMENT AND THAT THEY THEY WISH TO ACTUALLY PARTICIPATE. BUT SOMETIMES THEIR INTAKE APPOINTMENTS AREN’T UNTIL WEEKS LATER BECAUSE THIS PROGRAM IS NEW, WE ARE STILL MAKING THOSE ADJUSTMENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE SERVICES FOR EVERYONE WHO WISHES TO PARTICIPATE IN THEM. BUT THE COUNTY’S CHIEF PUBLIC DEFENDER SEES THIS AS MORE THAN JUST A SIGN OF GROWING PAINS. SO THE MAJORITY OF THE INDIVIDUALS CHARGED NEED SOMETHING MORE THAN A SIMPLE OUTPATIENT PROGRAM. THEY ARE RECEIVING A 15 MINUTE ASSESSMENT. THEY’RE ANSWERING QUESTIONS, MANY OF THEM WHILE THEY’RE STILL IN THE JAIL, ABOUT THEIR MOST RECENT SUBSTANCE USE. AND THEY’RE GETTING A PIECE OF PAPER THAT’S TELLING THEM GO TO OUTPATIENT TREATMENT. SHE FEELS IT’S NOT DOING THEM JUSTICE. THEY ARE BEING SET UP TO FAIL. NUMBERS FROM OTHER NORTHERN CALIFORNIA COUNTIES ALSO SHOW MOST PEOPLE ARE NOT CHOOSING TREATMENT. I THINK WE’VE GOT 11 PEOPLE IN YOLO COUNTY THAT HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN ASSESSED FOR DRUG TREATMENT THROUGH PROP 36, ACCEPTED THE PLAN. THAT’S OUT OF THE ROUGHLY 80 PEOPLE WHO HAD BEEN CHARGED THROUGH THE START OF NOVEMBER. SO WE’RE NOT HAPPY WITH THE 11. BUT 11 IS BETTER THAN WE WERE AT BEFORE. PROP 36. BEFORE PROP 36, THE CASES WOULD BE MISDEMEANORS IF YOU CHARGED AS A MISDEMEANOR, YOU MIGHT AS WELL GIVE THEM A VOUCHER TO BUY DRUGS FROM A DRUG DEALER. IT’S GOING TO HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO EFFECT ON THEM AT ALL. IN FACT, THEY PROBABLY WON’T EVEN COME TO COURT AND GET ARRAIGNED IN THE FIRST PLACE, LET ALONE EVER GET CONVICTED AND USE PROBATION TO FIX THEIR DEMONS. EVERY SINGLE COUNTY NOW HAS THE TOOLS THROUGH PROP 36 TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. EXCEPT GARRETT HAMILTON BLAMES THE YOLO COUNTY PUBLIC DEFENDER’S OFFICE FOR GETTING IN THE WAY OF THOSE EFFORTS. THERE’S DEFINITELY AN EMPHASIS ON NOT GETTING PEOPLE THROUGH THE PROP 36 TREATMENT PROGRAM AT THE PUBLIC DEFENDER IN YOLO COUNTY, YOLO COUNTY’S CHIEF PUBLIC DEFENDER IS TRACY OLSON. SHE’S ALSO PRESIDENT OF THE CALIFORNIA PUBLIC DEFENDER’S ASSOCIATION, AND WE ALL IDENTIFIED PRETTY EARLY THAT PROPOSITION 36 WAS A TRICK. AND WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT? WHAT WAS THE TRICK? IT RECRIMINALISED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ISSUES. IT THEN PUT NOT ONE DIME INTO TREATMENT, BUT THE REAL CRUX, THE REAL TRICK, IN MY OPINION, OF WHAT THIS LAW DID, IS IF SOMEBODY EVEN IS IN TREATMENT AND DOING VERY, VERY WELL, IF THEY HAVE A RELAPSE AND THEY HAVE A THEY SUFFER A CONVICTION THAT’S RELATED TO THAT RELAPSE. THE JUDGE HAS NO DISCRETION BUT TO TERMINATE THEM FROM TREATMENT AND SEND THEM TO PRISON OR JAIL. SHE SAYS. THAT FLIES IN THE FACE OF WHAT EXPERTS WOULD SAY, WHICH IS RELAPSE IS A PART OF RECOVERY. WE STILL VALUE TREATMENT. WE STILL WANT OUR CLIENTS TO GET BETTER. WE JUST WANT THEM TO BE BETTER IN A SYSTEM THAT’S GOING TO BE EFFECTIVE FOR THEM. SO WHILE EVERYONE AGREES STOPPING THE CYCLE OF REPEATED DRUG OFFENSES CALLS FOR TREATMENT, THEY DON’T AGREE ON THE BEST PATH TO GET THERE. AND ON PROP 36, THEY’RE DEADLOCKED. LYSEE MITRI CALIFORNIA POLITICS 360. IT’S UNCLEAR HOW MANY PEOPLE STATEWIDE HAVE ACTUALLY COMPLETED THE MANDATED TREATMENT AND HAVE THEIR CASE DISMISSED. RIGHT NOW, ONLY THE JUDICIAL COUNCIL IS REQUIRED TO TRACK THESE CASES, MAINLY TO DETERMINE FUNDING FOR COURTHOUSES FOR THE PROGRAM. BUT OUR INVESTIGATION FOUND THE COUNTY COURT SYSTEMS WERE REPORTING INCONSISTENT DATA TO THE STATE, AND SOME DID NOT TRACK HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE ACTUALLY COMPLETED THE PROGRAM. POLITICIANS HAVE ALSO BEEN DEADLOCKED ON PROP 36, ONE OF THE FEW VOCAL DEMOCRATS THAT SUPPORTED IT. SAN JOSE MAYOR MATT MEHAN SAYS MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE BY PROP 36 HAS HIM SERIOUSLY CONSIDERING A RUN FOR GOVERNOR. BIRD INJURY LAWYERS ONE 800 400 MCG. SAN JOSE MAYOR MATT MEHAN WILL DECIDE WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS IF HE’LL RUN FOR GOVERNOR. THE DEMOCRAT SAYS HE’S NOT SEEING A BOLD OR CLEAR VISION FROM THE WIDE FIELD OF DEMOCRATS RUNNING FOR THE SEAT WHEN IT COMES TO THE COST OF LIVING, HOMELESSNESS AND CRIME. WE SPOKE AT LENGTH ABOUT PROPOSITION 36 AND WHAT HE’S SEEING AT THE LOCAL LEVEL. HERE’S PART OF OUR CONVERSATION. PROP 36 WAS LINKED TO CALIFORNIA’S DRUG, MENTAL HEALTH AND HOMELESSNESS CRISIS, AND GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM GAVE HIS STATE OF THE STATE SPEECH LAST WEEK. AND HE SAID, THOUGH ON THE TOPIC OF HOMELESSNESS, OVERALL, WE ARE SEEING RESULTS. HE SAID EARLY DATA JUST COMPILED SHOWS THAT THE NUMBER OF UNSHELTERED HOMELESS PEOPLE IN CALIFORNIA DROPPED 9% IN 2025. WE HAVE NOT SEEN A DROP LIKE THIS IN NEARLY TWO DECADES IN CALIFORNIA. WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION WHEN YOU HEARD THAT LINE? WELL, I PAUSED AND WAITED FOR THE REST OF THE EXPLANATION OF WHY IT’S HAPPENING. SAN JOSE IS LEADING THE WAY, AS ARE OTHER BIG CITIES. WE’VE REDUCED THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE LIVING OUTSIDE BY ABOUT A THIRD OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, AND WE’VE DONE IT BECAUSE WE’RE USING FLEXIBLE FUNDING, MUCH OF IT FROM THE STATE, BUT ALSO A GOOD SHARE LOCALLY, WHERE WE’RE TAXING OURSELVES TO BUILD INTERIM HOUSING. SAFE PARKING SITES. WE’RE CONVERTING MOTELS. WE’RE CREATING SAFE, DIGNIFIED ALTERNATIVES TO THE STREETS. WE’RE DOING IT COST EFFECTIVELY AT THE FRACTION OF THE COST OF WHAT IT TOOK TO BUILD PERMANENT AFFORDABLE HOUSING. THAT WOULD TAKE 5 OR 6 YEARS AND COST $1 MILLION A DOOR. WE’RE STANDING THESE SITES UP IN A YEAR OR LESS AT MORE LIKE $100,000 A DOOR, AND WHEN IT’S AVAILABLE, WE’RE REQUIRING THAT PEOPLE USE IT AND IT’S WORKING. BUT THE TRUTH IS, WHAT THE GOVERNOR DIDN’T SAY IS IN LAST YEAR’S BUDGET, ACTUALLY, OUR CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, THOSE FLEXIBLE STATE FUNDS THAT WE HAD RELIED ON TO BUILD OUT THAT SYSTEM WERE ZEROED OUT. NEXT YEAR’S PROPOSED BUDGET, THEY’D BE AT 50% OF THEIR PREVIOUS LEVEL. IF THE STATE DOESN’T SHOW UP ON ONE OF OUR BIGGEST ISSUES AND CREATE FLEXIBLE BUT STILL ACCOUNTABLE DOLLARS FOR CITIES AND COUNTIES TO INVEST IN THINGS THAT WORK, YOU’RE NOT GOING TO SEE ANOTHER 9% REDUCTION. IT LOOKS GOOD THIS YEAR, BUT I’M CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS THE YEAR AFTER THAT AND THE YEAR AFTER THAT. THE SUSTAINABLE WAY TO END UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS IN CALIFORNIA IS TO BUILD INTERIM HOUSING, BUILD TREATMENT CAPACITY, MAKE IT EASIER FOR THE MARKET TO BUILD HOUSING AT ALL LEVELS OF AFFORDABILITY. AND WHEN OPTIONS LIKE SHELTER AND TREATMENT ARE AVAILABLE REQUIRE THAT PEOPLE USE IT. IN SAN JOSE, WE’VE IMPLEMENTED A RESPONSIBILITY TO SHELTER POLICY THAT SAYS YOU CAN’T CHOOSE TO CAMP. YOU CAN’T REPEATEDLY REFUSE HOUSING. THERE WILL BE ACCOUNTABILITY. WE WILL INTERVENE. WE START WITH OUTREACH AND COMPASSION AND GIVING PEOPLE THE OPTION OF SAFE, DIGNIFIED, PRIVATE SHELTER. BUT IF IT’S AVAILABLE, YOU CAN’T REPEATEDLY CHOOSE TO CAMP AND SAY NO. THERE HAS TO BE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR COMING INDOORS. THE RESIDENTS AND TAXPAYERS WHO ARE FUNDING THESE SOLUTIONS DESERVE THAT. THEY ALSO DESERVE STATE LEADERSHIP THAT WILL INVEST CONSISTENTLY IN WHAT WORKS, SO THAT THAT REDUCTION IN UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS ISN’T A TALKING POINT IN A SPEECH ONE YEAR, BUT IT’S A STEADY TREND LINE THAT GETS US TO WHERE WE REALLY NEED TO BE, WHICH IS NO ONE IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA LIVING OUTSIDE IN A TENT. WE’RE WE’RE THE MOST DYNAMIC, INNOVATIVE, WEALTHIEST PLACES ON EARTH. NOBODY SHOULD BE LIVING AND DYING OUTSIDE. VOTERS DID APPROVE TO INVEST IN STRUCTURE OR WHAT THE GOVERNOR PITCHED TO THEM AS A WAY TO HELP THAT THROUGH PROPOSITION ONE, WHICH WAS MORE MENTAL HEALTH AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CHANGES IN THE STATE. AND HE AND THE GOVERNOR HAS SAID THAT IN JUST 18 MONTHS, WE’VE ALREADY APPROVED NEARLY 70% OF NEW TREATMENT BEDS AND SLOTS. WE PROMISED UNDER PROP ONE, THE FASTEST DISTRIBUTION OF BOND MONEY IN OUR STATE’S HISTORY IS SAN JOSE, THE BENEFICIARY OF OF THAT, OR WHERE DOES WHERE DO YOU STAND ON PROP ONE? WELL, I SUPPORTED PROP ONE, AND I STRONGLY AGREE THAT WE NEED TO BUILD OUT TREATMENT CAPACITY. WE NEED TO DO IT FASTER AND WE NEED TO DO IT MORE COST EFFECTIVELY. SANTA CLARA COUNTY HAD THREE PROP ONE APPLICATIONS, DID NOT RECEIVE ANY FUNDING UNDER PROP ONE. WE’VE BEEN UNABLE TO GET A CLEAR ANSWER FROM THE STATE AS TO WHY THAT IS. I KNOW THERE ARE PRIVATE PROVIDERS WHO HAVE RECEIVED FUNDING. I’D LIKE TO SEE GREATER TRANSPARENCY IN TERMS OF ALL OF THE PROJECTS IN THE STATE. ON ONE MAP, HOW MANY BEDS AND SPECIFICALLY TIMELINES FOR DELIVERY AND COST PER BED. NOT BECAUSE WE’RE DOING ANYTHING WRONG TODAY, BUT BECAUSE THE SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF PROP ONE OVER THE COMING YEARS RELIES ON THAT LEVEL OF FOCUS AND ACCOUNTABILITY. WE NEED TO DELIVER THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF BEDS AS FAST AS WE CAN AT THE LOWEST POSSIBLE PRICE POINT, AND THE STATE SHOULD BE PLAYING, AND THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE SHOULD BE PLAYING A VERY ACTIVE ROLE IN ENSURING SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION BY MAXIMIZING BEDS AND BRINGING DOWN COST PER BED. THERE’S A LOT EMBEDDED IN STATE LAW IN OUR BUILDING CODES, IN ALL OF OUR RULES AND REGULATIONS AND PROCESSES, ALL WELL INTENDED, THAT LEAD TO THESE KINDS OF INITIATIVES DELIVERING A LOT LESS IMPACT THAN THEY SHOULD BECAUSE THEY DRIVE UP COSTS, THEY DRIVE UP TIMELINES. THEY MAKE IT REALLY HARD TO DO WHAT PEOPLE WANT, WHICH IS OUT THAT TREATMENT CAPACITY AND WHEN IT’S AVAILABLE, REQUIRE THAT PEOPLE USE IT. WE HAVE GOT TO STREAMLINE WHAT WE’RE DOING. MY FULL CONVERSATION WITH SAN JOSE MAYOR MATT MEHAN IS ON CAL POLITICS THREE 6.COM. WE SPEAK ABOUT THE PROPOSED WEALTH TAX AND WHAT ELSE IS PUSHING HIM TO RECONSIDER THAT RUN FOR GOVERNOR. WELL, A NEW LEADER IS SETTLING INTO HER ROLE IN THE CALIFORNIA SENATE. THE TOP PRIORITIES FOR STATE SENATE PRESIDENT PRO TEM MONIQUE LIMON, HER APPROACH TO THE STATE’S MONEY ISSUES. CALIFORNIA SENATE HAS A NEW DEMOCRATIC LEADER. MONIQUE LIMON IS THE FIRST LATINA AND FIRST MOTHER TO LEAD THE STATE SENATE STARTING THIS YEAR. I SAT DOWN WITH HER TO TALK ABOUT WHAT WE CAN EXPECT UNDER HER LEADERSHIP. CALIFORNIA SENATE PRO TEM MONIQUE LIMON, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MAKING TIME FOR US. THANK YOU. THANKS FOR DOING THIS. HOW HAVE THE FIRST COUPLE OF WEEKS BEEN FOR YOU IN THIS NEW ROLE? SO LOOK, I THINK THE FIRST COUPLE OF WEEKS HAVE BEEN A LOT. THERE’S JUST A LOT HAPPENING IN OUR STATE AND IN THE COUNTRY. AND ALL OF THAT GETS TRANSLATED OVER TO THE STUFF THAT WE ARE DOING HERE IN THE LEGISLATURE. SO IT HAS BEEN GOOD, BUT ALSO RECOGNIZING THAT THE WORLD WE KNOW TODAY MIGHT BE DIFFERENT TOMORROW. AND I THINK WE’VE SEEN A FEW EXAMPLES OF THAT IN THE FIRST FEW WEEKS. CERTAINLY STARTING OUT THE FIRST WEEK OF SESSION WITH, YOU KNOW, A CELEBRATION BECAUSE I WAS MOVING IN THIS ROLE, BUT ALSO WATCHING WHAT WAS HAPPENING AROUND THE COUNTRY, WATCHING WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN MINNESOTA. AND SO I THINK THAT THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT VERY QUICKLY HUMBLE US TO, TO REMEMBER THAT WHILE WE MAY BE DOING SOME GOOD WORK HERE, THAT THE WORLD KEEPS CHANGING AND NEEDING US TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE’RE SEEING. SURE. AND CHALLENGES HERE AT HOME, THOUGH, AND THE PRIMARY ROLE OF THE CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE IS TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO USE TAXPAYER DOLLARS. GOVERNOR NEWSOM LAST WEEK ROLLED OUT HIS STATE SPENDING PLAN, AND WE’VE SEEN BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE RAISE FLAGS ABOUT THE GOVERNOR WAITING UNTIL MAY TO COME UP WITH CONCRETE SOLUTIONS WHEN IT COMES TO HEALTH CARE SPENDING AND WHEN IT COMES TO CALIFORNIA’S OVERALL APPARENT STRUCTURAL BUDGET PROBLEM WITH SHORTFALLS IN THE YEARS AFTER HE LEAVES OFFICE. ARE YOU OKAY WITH WAITING UNTIL MAY TO HEAR WHAT HIS IDEAS ARE? WELL, I THINK THAT WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE AND WITH THE SENATE IN PARTICULAR AND THE SENATE DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS IS WE DON’T WAIT UNTIL MAY. WE BEGIN TO CRAFT AND FORM AND DELIBERATE ON SOLUTIONS IMMEDIATELY. SO WE WILL HAVE POLICY CONVERSATIONS. WE WILL HAVE BUDGET CONVERSATIONS. WE’VE ALREADY HAD SOME OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS AMONG OUR CAUCUS. WE HAVE AN UPCOMING BUDGET RETREAT. WHAT THOSE MOMENTS DO FOR US IS THEY INFORM OUR DECISION MAKING, BUT WE DO NOT WAIT UNTIL WE HAVE THE FINAL NUMBERS IN MAY. NOW, CERTAINLY, THE JANUARY, JANUARY BUDGET HELPS US START THINKING ABOUT IT’S A SIGNAL FOR US, RIGHT? LIKE WHERE THINGS COULD GO. BUT WE ARE PREPARED THAT BEFORE MAY YOU WILL SEE THE SENATE, YOU WILL SEE OUR SENATE DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS COME OUT WITH THE SOLUTIONS THAT WE FEEL ARE IMPORTANT TO MOVE FORWARD, GIVEN THE SIGNALING THAT’S HAPPENED THUS FAR. BUT REALLY IN THE LAST SIX YEARS, AS AN OBSERVER OF THIS BUILDING, YOU HAVE BEEN HERE, THE LEGISLATURE AND GOVERNOR, THERE’S A TERM THAT HAS BEEN USED ANNUALLY CALLED JAM. THE GOVERNOR HAS CONSISTENTLY JAMMED THIS LEGISLATURE AT THE LAST MINUTE FOR HIS BIG ASKS. AND WHATEVER THOSE SOLUTIONS MIGHT BE, THEY MAY BE BIG ASKS. I MEAN, COULD WE EXPECT TO SEE ANOTHER YEAR OF OF JAMMING HERE? I THINK YOU CAN PROBABLY EXPECT TO SEE A YEAR OF BIG ASK, BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT YOU KNOW. I’VE SERVED UNDER MULTIPLE GOVERNORS, AND I WILL SAY THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS NOT SPECIFIC TO ANY ONE GOVERNOR. I ALSO THINK THAT YOU SEE, THE LEGISLATURE ALSO HAVE BIG ASK THE OUR PROCESS, OUR LEGISLATIVE PROCESS ALLOWS US TO PUT FORWARD OUR BIG ASK THROUGH A DIFFERENT MEANS. YOU SEE THAT IN BILLS AND YOU’RE GOING TO SEE SOME, YOU KNOW, VERY THOUGHTFUL AND EXCITING AND BIG BILLS THAT COME FROM OUR CAUCUS. AND SO I THINK THAT WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENT MEANS OF HOW TO PUT THOSE PRIORITIES IN FRONT OF US. AND I THINK THAT THIS YEAR WILL NOT BE THE EXCEPTION, THAT WHETHER YOU ARE THE LEGISLATURE, WHETHER YOU ARE A GOVERNOR, YOU WILL PUT THOSE BIG PRIORITIES FOR FORWARD IN FRONT OF US. WE HAVE DIFFERENT DEADLINES AND WAYS TO DO THAT. AND THAT’S NOT THAT’S NOT GOING TO CHANGE. I THINK WHEN IT COMES TO HOW MEMBERS AND OUR CAUCUS AND THE LEGISLATURE FEEL, CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, THERE’S A LOT OF FOCUS PUT ON WHAT OUR PRIORITIES ARE. AND ANYTHING THAT COMES THAT’S BIG, THAT THAT’S DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE WERE WORKING ON. ALWAYS FEELS, YOU KNOW, HAS A MOMENT OF PAUSE, LIKE, HOW DO YOU HOW DO YOU GRAPPLE WITH THAT IN THE MIDST OF THE THINGS THAT ALSO CONTINUE TO BE IMPORTANT FOR US? BUT FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, AS THE LEADER OF THE CALIFORNIA STATE SENATE, CERTAINLY MAKING SURE THAT THOSE PRIORITIES FOR THE SENATE CONTINUE INDEPENDENT OF WHO’S ASKING WHAT THEY’RE ASKING AROUND US, THAT OUR PRIORITIES CONTINUE TO BE AT THE FOREFRONT. WITH PRO TEM LIMON, WE TALK MORE ABOUT WHETHER THE SENATE WILL DO MORE TO CHECK GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM’S POWER THIS YEAR, THE COST OF LIVING AND HER PRIORITIES SPECIFICALLY FOR THE SENATE. THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION. YOU CAN WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW ON CAL POLITICS THREE 6.COM. NEXT, A LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA’S GOLD RUSH, WHERE IT ALL BEGAN, AND THE PUSH TO PRESERVE THIS RICH PAST. CALIFORNIA’S FAMOUS GOLD RUSH DATES BACK TO 178 YEARS THIS WEEK, WHEN JAMES MARSHALL FOUND FLECKS OF GOLD ALONG THE SOUTH FORK OF THE AMERICAN RIVER. JANUARY 24TH, 1848. HE’S STANDING DOWN THERE, LOOKS DOWN AT HIS FEET, AND THERE’S THIS VERY SHINY THING IN THE WATER. HE PICKED IT UP, PUT IT ON A ROCK, GRABBED ANOTHER ROCK AND STARTED SMASHING IT. A MARSHALL HAD A FIFTH GRADE EDUCATION, AND HIS FAVORITE SUBJECTS WERE ASTRONOMY AND GEOLOGY. HE KNEW THAT GOLD FOUND IN NATURE WOULD BE VERY SOFT AND MALLEABLE. SO BY BEATING UP BETWEEN THE ROCKS, HE’S TESTING IT. SURE ENOUGH, IT FLATTENED OUT. THEN HE LOOKS BACK DOWN AT HIS FEET AND THERE ARE JUST PARTICLES OF GOLD EVERYWHERE. HE PICKED UP $15 WORTH OF GOLD IN A HALF AN HOUR. NOW THAT DOESN’T SOUND LIKE MUCH, BUT IN THOSE DAYS, GOLD WAS WORTH $20 AN OUNCE. HE JUST PICKED UP 15 DAYS WAGES. THAT’S WHAT THE MEN WERE MAKING A DOLLAR A DAY. THIRD OF MARSHALL’S DISCOVERY SPARKED THE LARGEST GOLD RUSH IN AMERICAN HISTORY. HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE FLOCKED TO CALIFORNIA FOR THE CHANCE TO PAN FOR GOLD. SO THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE CAME HERE. WE ESTIMATE THAT 90,000 PEOPLE SHOWED UP HERE IN 1849, AND ANOTHER 90,000 IN 1850. THAT LURE OF GOLD IN 1848, THEY WERE FINDING $20 WORTH OF GOLD PER PERSON PER DAY IN $4,910. IN 1855. WE KNOW THAT ONLY 5% OF THE PEOPLE THAT CAME HERE WENT HOME FEELING AS IF THEY WERE WEALTHY FAMILIES, AND STUDENTS CAN TRY THEIR LUCK SEARCHING FOR GOLD AT THE SAME PLACE. IT WAS DISCOVERED BACK IN 1848. THE MARSHALL GOLD DISCOVERY STATE HISTORIC PARK OFFERS TOURS AND LESSONS IN GOLD PANNING. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR THIS WEEK’S CALIFORNIA POLITICS 360. SEE YOU NEXT SUNDAY.

California Politics 360 Full Episode | One year of Prop. 36

On California Politics 360, we look at data from two counties in Northern California to see how many people have done the mandated treatment

Updated: 8:36 AM PST Jan 18, 2026

Editorial Standards ⓘ

It’s been one year since Proposition 36 took effect, but how effective has it been? Prop 36 increases penalties for repeat theft and drug crimes. People could be charged with a felony, instead of a misdemeanor, if they have two or more similar prior convictions. While it increases penalties, people can complete a felony-mandated treatment to have that charge against them dropped, upon successful completion of treatment. On California Politics 360, we look at data from two counties in Northern California to see how many people have done the mandated treatment. San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan joins the program to talk about the changes he is seeing in his city and what he says needs to be done at the state level. Mayor Mahan is also considering running for governor. New Senate President Pro Tempore Monique Limón joins California Politics 360 to talk about the legislative priorities under her leadership. This week also marks 178 years since James Marshall found gold in Coloma, sparking the largest gold rush in American history.KCRA 3 Political Director Ashley Zavala reports in-depth coverage of top California politics and policy issues. She is also the host of “California Politics 360.” Get informed each Sunday at 8:30 a.m. on KCRA 3.

It’s been one year since Proposition 36 took effect, but how effective has it been? Prop 36 increases penalties for repeat theft and drug crimes. People could be charged with a felony, instead of a misdemeanor, if they have two or more similar prior convictions.

While it increases penalties, people can complete a felony-mandated treatment to have that charge against them dropped, upon successful completion of treatment. On California Politics 360, we look at data from two counties in Northern California to see how many people have done the mandated treatment.

San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan joins the program to talk about the changes he is seeing in his city and what he says needs to be done at the state level. Mayor Mahan is also considering running for governor.

New Senate President Pro Tempore Monique Limón joins California Politics 360 to talk about the legislative priorities under her leadership.

This week also marks 178 years since James Marshall found gold in Coloma, sparking the largest gold rush in American history.

KCRA 3 Political Director Ashley Zavala reports in-depth coverage of top California politics and policy issues. She is also the host of “California Politics 360.” Get informed each Sunday at 8:30 a.m. on KCRA 3.