RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KABC) — Law enforcement officials praise voters for coming through Proposition 36 by a wide margin on Election Day, which increases the penalties for those convicted of certain theft and drug crimes.

The measure makes shoplifting a felony for repeat offenders and increases penalties for some drug charges, including those involving the synthetic opioid fentanyl.

“The thing that will be different now after the passage of Proposition 36 is that someone with two prior thefts will be prosecuted as a felony,” Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin said at a news conference in Riverside.

“Currently, under current law, someone with 100 prior thefts can only be charged with a misdemeanor.”

The measure would give judges the authority to order people with multiple drug charges to receive treatment.

“I think it sends a strong message that people are fed up,” Riverside Police Chief Larry Gonzalez said. “You have business owners leaving our city. I hate to hear that, when they can’t afford to replace their business windows because they just can’t do it.”

But the passage of Proposition 36 also presents law enforcement with a potential problem, especially for regions with overcrowded prison systems.

“My jail is full,” Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco said. “I’m at capacity in my prison system, except for my prison in Indio, where I have 385 inmates there, but it has a capacity of 1,600. My problem is funding.”

Bianco said it would cost Riverside County about $50 million to $60 million annually to fully fund the Indio jail to full capacity. The sheriff said he will seek additional funding from the county Board of Supervisors, but it is unclear if that effort will be successful.

Bianco left open the idea of ​​a future ballot measure to secure funding to adequately staff the jail, but that’s a long way off.

“To be perfectly honest with you, as much as I’m against any such thing, it’s almost a reality,” he said.