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(CALIFORNIA GLOBE) – A bill designed to strengthen protections for children by making the act of soliciting, agreeing to engage in, or engaging in any act of commercial sex with a minor a felony to help fight human trafficking was signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom on Thursday, following a year of constant amendments and changes to the bill.
Senate Bill 1414, authored by Senators Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield), Anna Caballero (D-Merced), and Susan Rubio (D-Baldwin Park) will specifically change the law to state that any individual who solicits, agrees to engage in, or engages in commercial sex with a minor, regardless of their knowledge or reasonable suspicion of the minor’s age, is to be charged with a felony. This offense will also carry a prison sentence ranging from 2 to 4 years, a fine not exceeding $25,000, and registration as a sex offender.
The bill, which Grove created as a way to fix a current loophole where many offenders sex trafficking minors avoid stricter penalties, quickly moved up in Senate committees. However, several Democratic lawmakers proceeded to fight against the bill, especially over protections for 16 and 17-year olds. Concern was also shared over the offendees age and the hard ’18 years and older’ cut off date.
