California Gov. Gavin Newsom scrapped his last-minute push to put a second crime-fighting measure before voters this fall, two lawmakers confirmed Tuesday night, making a dramatic about-face hours before he heads to Washington to defend Joe Biden.

Their measure would have toughened penalties for repeat shoplifters and drug dealers who lace substances with fentanyl. It was an effort to compete with another tough-on-crime measure, backed by prosecutors and big-box retailers, that will appear on November’s ballot.

The announcement comes just one day before it would have needed to win votes from a majority of each house to make it on the ballot before lawmakers break for a month-long summer recess.