Bill to Increase Child Sex Trafficking Punishments Passes Key Senate Committee Vote

A bill that would increase punishments for purchasing a minor for sex and recriminalize the act of loitering with the intent to purchase sex passed the crucial Senate Appropriations Committee on Monday by a unanimous 6-0 vote, leaving AB 379 with only the final Senate vote and the Governor’s signature as the last major hurdles.

Assembly Bill 379, originally authored by Assemblywoman Maggy Krell (D-Sacramento) and co-sponsored by Senator Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield), with Assemblyman Nick Schultz (D-Burbank) recently taking over  as the new author, would make it a crime to loiter with the intent to purchase commercial sex once again, making it a misdemeanor and punishable by a $1,000 fine in addition any other penalties. AB 379 would also establish a fund to support victims of sex trafficking. In addition, the bill would ensure that the crime of purchasing a minor for sex applies in any case where the victim is under 18, and would require that those charged with prostitution under current law for receiving something of value in exchange for a sex act be offered diversion.

Amendments in May slightly altered the bill, with AB 379 making it a felony for older adults to get 16 and 17 year olds for sexual purposes. A felony would also be given if the adult involved is three years or more older than the victim. SB 357 would also be essentially repealed as a result, making it a crime once again to loiter with the intent to purchase sex.

While the bill did make it through the Senate, Democratic lawmakers had threatened to block the bill because of restrictive language such as age caps, and even took over the bill from Krell and Grove in May. However, Republicans, along with some Democratic lawmakers like Governor Gavin Newsom, made this public. The Democrats attempts were immediately called out by the press, especially since children were being involved. As a result, the bill was retoughened with amendments. Felony provisions, once removed, were added back in. As the California Globe’s own Katy Grimes put it, Schultz and the rest were “forced into decency“.

Not daring to try something like that again, AB 379 unanimously passed the Senate Public Safety Committee last month. And on Monday it happened again, passing the tough Senate Appropriations Committee.

However, it should be noted that a few Democrats and left-leaning groups have still attempted to block the bill. Drawing on ICE deportation fears, the Immigrant Legal Resource Center has claimed that the bill would not only increase costs, but would actually increase the number of ICE raids and deportations.

“The bill would subject more people to traumatic ICE arrests, detention and deportation,” explained Immigrant Legal Resource Center attorney Ann Block. “We live in a time when the Trump administration is turning the government into a weapon against the people. There are going to be significant costs in terms of ICE detention and families being separated in California, families going on welfare because of that, that’s happening right now and that would happen even more if this bill passes.”

However, with the options being to reneg on the bill or once again take out felony provisions that had previously brough enormous public outcry, the Committees chose to pass the bill as is instead.

“I’m looking at this from a prosecutor’s standpoint — this bill strengthens California law and gives us the felony hammer to prosecute the creeps that are preying on teenagers. I appreciate everyone’s work on this bill, especially the survivors who won’t give up,” said Krell of the updated bill.

AB 379 is to be heard next in the general Senate vote.