Newsom, California Lawmakers Withdraw Alternative Anti-Crime Ballot Measure

California Gov. Gavin Newsom and state leaders decided to withdraw a second ballot measure proposal that aimed to reform a law passed by voters in 2014. The decision was made just one day before the deadline for the Legislature to place initiatives on the November ballot. The proposal, which sought to reform Proposition 47, was pulled due to the inability to secure necessary amendments in time for the ballot deadline. The initiative would have competed with an existing qualified initiative known as the Homelessness, Drug Addiction, and Theft Reduction Act on the ballot. This Act received over 600,000 signatures from eligible voters and prioritizes rehabilitation programs for drug addiction while allowing felony charges for repeat offenders. Despite efforts to negotiate the removal of the citizens’ initiative from the ballot, negotiations stalled, leading to the withdrawal of the second proposal. Critics alleged that the now-defunct proposal was a last-ditch effort to undermine the citizens’ initiative. Law enforcement organizations opposed the second proposal and urged lawmakers to allow voters to decide on the fate of the Homelessness, Drug Addiction, and Theft Reduction Act. Assembly Minority Leader James Gallagher praised the citizens’ initiative for offering meaningful reform and expressed confidence in a package of public safety bills currently in progress. The bills faced controversy due to amendments that were later removed to ensure a clean vote. Governor Newsom expressed support for the package of bills, emphasizing a focus on public safety and avoiding outdated policies of the past. Can you please rewrite this sentence?

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