SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) – Gov. Jerry Brown is suing to protect one of his signature actions in office, a voter-approved measure that allows most California prison inmates to seek earlier release and participate in rehabilitation programs.
His administration filed a lawsuit Thursday challenging a pending 2020 initiative that seeks to toughen criminal penalties as part of an effort to roll back reforms adopted by voters within the past decade.
Brown’s lawsuit contends the measure lacks enough signatures to overturn a previously approved constitutional amendment.
County and state officials certified the signatures in July but they were too late for November’s election.
The measure would reverse reforms voters adopted in 2014 and 2016.
Proposition 57 allows most inmates to seek earlier paroles, while Proposition 47 reduced some drug and property crimes from felonies to misdemeanors.
