California voters approved Proposition 36 to roll back soft-on-crime policies in Proposition 47, raising penalties for some crimes, including theft and drug offenses.

Now, certain drug offenses and thefts under $950 can be classified as felonies rather than misdemeanors if the suspected perpetrator has two or more past convictions for theft crimes.

California voters on Tuesday approved a November ballot ... steering away from recent progressive policies that critics blamed for increased lawlessness. Proposition 36 will make it a felony for someone to steal merchandise of any value after two previous ...