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    California lawmakers say $400 million for Prop. 36 treatment is needed in the state budget
    • March 16, 2026

    A trio of California state senators is pushing for more money to be added to the state budget to cover treatment programs required under Proposition 36.

    The measure approved by voters in 2024 strengthened certain retail theft and drug penalties. But it also ensured that repeat offenders who need drug or alcohol treatment can receive that therapy or counseling.

    And at least $400 million needs to be added to the state budget to help counties and local law enforcement pay for that treatment, the Democratic lawmakers said in a letter to the chair of the Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee last week.

    “As local government budgets buckle under growing pressures from both state and federal budget constraints, we need to provide state funding to ensure people can access and complete treatment without having to defund other critical law enforcement responses,” said Sens. Catherine Blakespear, D-Encinitas, Susan Rubio, D-Baldwin Park, and Tom Umberg, D-Santa Ana.

    Initial funding for Proposition 36 only covered early implementation and public defender caseloads, the senators said, and the $100 million already included in this year’s budget is “far short of what is needed.”

    Without more funding, local governments will not be able to implement treatment and rehabilitation programs properly, the legislators said.

    “To follow through on Proposition 36, which a majority of voters in every single California county voted for, we must support and fund the local agencies implementing it,” said Blakespear, who represents communities in southern Orange County. “We must provide the counseling and treatment needed for offenders if we want Proposition 36 to work and prevent repeated crime.”

    Umberg echoed those sentiments, saying substance abuse treatment is a “substantial component” of Proposition 36.

    “This funding request is crucial to ensuring that the state Department of Health Care Services and county behavioral health services provide the care and oversight needed for those who need it most,” Umberg said.

    Proposition 36 was one of the most contentious ballot measures before voters in the 2024 general election.

    Gov. Gavin Newsom opposed the measure, expressing concerns about the costs, particularly as the state was already grappling with a budget deficit.

    “It’s really drug policy reform that brings us back decades. I’m very concerned about that. I hope people take a close look at what they’re proposing,” the governor said.

    But it was popular with voters. In Orange County, 74.5% of voters backed the measure, slightly higher than the statewide total of 68.4%.

    In their letter last week, the legislators said $400 million would be necessary to fulfill not only the requirements of the new law, but also to build upon already made investments in treatment and court services.

    “These investments will be necessary to expand service capacity, secure appropriate in-custody treatment and allow for individualized planning, monitoring, and supervision for those in our communities. Counties must have the resources to stabilize and scale the system to maximize these programs to meet immediate demand,” they said in the letter.

    “The individuals needing treatment and/or custodial intervention often present with complex needs that require structured support, supervision and coordinated oversight,” they said. Funding these supports now will allow local governments to build on existing infrastructure and ensure treatment-based approaches deliver meaningful, measurable results and real services.”

    In other news

    • Assemblymember Tri Ta, R-Westminster, said representatives from the Chinese Consulate contacted him and complained about a photo posted to social media of him with David Wu, a San Francisco-based Taiwanese official.

    The Facebook post included photos of Wu with Speaker Robert Rivas, D-Hollister, and Ta.

    “Speaker Rivas spoke fondly of his last trip to Taiwan, expressing his admiration for the country’s urban development and modern advancements. The discussion focused on deepening cooperation in politics, economics and cultural soft power,” the post said.

    It went on to say Ta has been a consistent supporter of Taiwan, and the pair “discussed existing collaborative initiatives.” The Westminster Republican also gave Wu a tour of the statehouse, it said.

    Ta’s office said the Chinese Consulate “expressed anger over the photo and attempted to pressure the office regarding the public recognition of Taiwan’s representative.”

    A memo from Ta’s office, reviewed by the Orange County Register, detailed a call on Thursday afternoon from a person purporting to be with the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in the San Francisco office. The person said he had a message for Ta and “proceeded to give a long statement denouncing Tri’s interference in diplomatic relations;” the memo alleged the caller “was clearly reading from a script.”

    “He stated that we were in breach of longstanding U.S.-China policy, which recognizes Taiwan as part of China, and that we should contact his office in the future before engaging with ‘so-called’ Taiwan officials,” the memo said.

    A representative for the Consulate in San Francisco did not explicitly confirm the conversation with Ta’s office, but in an email on Friday afternoon said the Taiwan issue “remains the most important and most sensitive issue in China-U.S. relations.”

    “Based on the above, when confronted with actions that violate the one-China principle and the commitments made by the U.S. government, infringe upon China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and hurt the feelings of the Chinese people, we have the responsibility to make representations and urge them to return to the right path,” an email from the Consulate, that did not include a signature, said.

    “It is deeply inappropriate for a foreign authoritarian government to attempt to intimidate American public officials over who we meet with or what we post,” Ta said in a statement.

    Rivas’ office also did not respond to a request for comment on whether it, too, received similar communication.

    • It was all fun and games in Sacramento last week for a group of legislators and some staffers who participated in a flag football tournament.

    Assemblymember Avelino Valencia, an Anaheim Democrat and former college football player, led Team 1 to third place in the tournament on Tuesday. Team Black, led by Assemblymembers Steve Bennett, D-Ventura, and Isaac Bryan, D-Los Angeles, won the first round and propelled that victory to a win in the final game.

    Assemblymember Avelino Valencia, D-Anaheim, helped organize a flag football tournament with fellow California legislators in Sacramento. The Orange County lawmaker's Team 1 took third place in the tournament, with Team Black, led by Assemblymembers Steve Bennett, D-Ventura, and Isaac Bryan, D-Los Angeles, winning overall.
    Assemblymember Avelino Valencia, D-Anaheim, helped organize a flag football tournament with fellow California legislators in Sacramento. The Orange County lawmaker’s Team 1 took third place in the tournament, with Team Black, led by Assemblymembers Steve Bennett, D-Ventura, and Isaac Bryan, D-Los Angeles, winning overall.

    • An effort is underway in the statehouse to recognize Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha during Ramadan as state holidays.

    “California is home to one of the largest and most vibrant Muslim communities in the country, and their traditions deserve recognition and respect,” Assemblymember Matt Haney, D-San Francisco, said.

    “No student should have to choose between celebrating one of the holiest days of their faith and showing up to school, and no worker should feel they have to sacrifice their religious observance,” Haney said. “AB 2017 is about making sure Muslim Californians are seen, valued and treated with the same dignity as every other community in our state.”

    The bill was introduced in a press conference last week — Sen. Aisha Wahab, D-Silicon Valley, is a coauthor — and it is awaiting a committee hearing.

    ​ Orange County Register 

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