One of the numerous state ballot propositions being considered on November third has the support of most, if not all, prosecutors. Proposition 20 would increase penalties for certain property crimes and repeat parole violations and make it more difficult for some convicted felons to qualify for early parole and release from prison. Nevada County District Attorney Cliff Newell says it would fix some of the inequities of Proposition 47, passed in 2014, which raised the dollar amount for felony theft from 450 to 950 dollars…

Prop 20 would give prosecutors new flexibility to charge some property crimes of more than 250 dollars, such as “serial shoplifting” and car theft, as felonies. Newell says it would also remove the non-violent designation of certain sex crimes, among other offenses…

But Newell says one aspect of Prop 20 is already being done locally. It would require law enforcement to collect DNA samples from people convicted of certain misdemeanors, including shoplifting, forgery, and illegal drug possession, and store them in a state database.