Assembly committee pivots on teen sex trafficking bill after rebuff from Newsom

The California Legislature File photo by Florence Middleton CalMatters Last week Democratic lawmaker Maggy Krell a former sex trafficking prosecutor for the California Attorney General s Office was angry when her decree was torched This week it was a far different story Last Tuesday s loss is this week s success with selected caveats The Assembly Citizens Safety Committee which had originally cut out a key element of Krell s sex trafficking bill Assembly Bill changed its mind and put it back in AB will now once again increase the punishment for trafficking of - and -year-olds Last week that increase was removed by the same committee The charge for trafficking is already a felony if a child is under the age of This bill includes - and -year-olds if it can be proven they were trafficked or if the offender is more than three years older than a child victim This final element was reportedly to pacify the progressive wing which for a few time now has been concerned about bill which increases criminal penalties and expressed worries about parents who might use the law to threaten teens over their relationships What happened after their vote no doubt influenced this week s backtrack The decision was widely published in local state and national media Gov Gavin Newsom without delay criticized the committee s decision and he was soon joined by powerful Democratic and Republican lawmakers as well as hundreds of California s anti-trafficking and victim sponsorship organizations The goal has reliably been to hammer the creeps who are buying teens for sex and create more help for casualties Krell mentioned in a message The assemblywoman also declared the new version of the bill accomplishes these goals and makes it a felony for a grown man to buy a child for sex I appreciate everyone s work on this bill especially the survivor coalition for never giving up Krell reported I m gratified that the Legislature listened to the anguish of the survivors voices noted San Diego District Attorney Summer Stephan adding that in her view it was about time that California s laws protect all children from the horrors of human trafficking On Wednesday AB heads to the Assembly Appropriations Committee It is expected to clear the Assembly but there are no assurances when it reaches the Senate which last year removed the -to- felony enhancement in another bill