‘Anti-Racism Sentencing Reform Act’: Proposed law in California would drastically reduce penalties for violent gun crimes

The Anti-Racism Sentencing Reform Act, as it is called, or simply Bill AB1509, would eliminate the "enhancements" or years tacked onto sentences when a gun is used in conjunction with any crime. The state of CA has been very busy altering its prison system recently.

According to the Daily Wire, the statute currently on the books reads:

"If a gun is used during a violent felony offense – such as a robbery – California’s '10-20-Life' gun enhancement applies. A 10-year enhancement is available for any use of a gun, which is increased to 20 years if the gun is discharged, and to 25-to-life if great bodily injury or death occurs."

The new proposed law would greatly lesson those sentences to one, two and three years respectively. It would also be retroactive, making currently incarcerated people eligible for being released to the streets much earlier.

This, coupled with other planned measures to expand CA's early release program, could possibly result in a deluge of people leaving the CA prison system within a short amount of time.

The bill naturally has its strong critics among those involved with law enforcement within the state of CA:

"In essence, the bill decriminalizes the use of a firearm in California for the most severe, most violent felonies. What this bill would do is encourage violent criminals to use guns during their crime because the penalty is so insignificant," said Eric Siddall, VP of the Association of Deputy District Attorneys (ADDA) of LA County.