The Democrat-dominated California legislature is reluctant to pass a bill to protect children under 18 years from sex trafficking. Introduced by Sacramento Democrat Assemblywoman Maggy Krell, Assembly Bill 379 (AB 379) aims to protect children under 18 years from sex solicitation and child trafficking.
“I want to solve two problems with this bill: One, we have to create more resources for victims like Julie and the thousands of other victims who are being trafficked,” the Assemblywoman explained. “And two: we have to crack down on the men who are buying them for sex. That’s what Assembly Bill 379 does.
“It creates a law that allows law enforcement to intervene, when men are out on the prowl trying to buy victims for sex. It also makes it chargeable as a felony when those victims are under 18 years old.”
In 2024, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 1414 into law, making it a felony to solicit sex from children under the age of 16. However, soliciting or purchasing sex from 16- and 17-year-old children was a wobbler, allowing prosecutors to charge it as a misdemeanor or felony.
Introduced by Bakersfield Republican state Senator Shannon Grove and Assemblywoman Krell, SB 1414 aimed to make it a felony to solicit sex from all children under the age of 18. According to Krell, banning solicitation across the board would help to protect children from sex trafficking, which hinges on the ability to purchase sex from minors without serious consequences.
Nonetheless, California Democrats neutered the bill, capping the age at 15 years and below for felony charges to apply. Additionally, they attempted to kill it by sending it to the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Although he did not make any effort to impose stricter penalties for all solicitations below 18 years, California Governor Gavin Newsom intervened and helped push the bipartisan bill forward until it became law.
Given the obvious shortcomings of SB 1414, Assemblywoman Krell introduced Assembly Bill 379 (AB 379) to make it a crime to solicit or purchase sex from children under 18.
However, AB 379 faces the same fate as SB 1414 after Democrats sent it to the Assembly Public Safety Committee to gather dust. Additionally, in due consideration of the looming deadline, the bill was dropped from the Committee’s agenda, further delaying it indefinitely.
Some committee members, such as Assembly Majority Whip Mark González have raised concerns that the bill would disproportionately affect the LGBTQ community and people of color. Once again, Democrats will likely prioritize perceived implications on the LGBTQ community and ignore the plight of child sex trafficking victims.
Meanwhile, Assemblywoman Krell’s work in fighting child sex trafficking is undeniable, regardless of her political affiliations. She has prosecuted child sex predators, demanded tougher sentences, and consistently raised alarm over child sex trafficking in California, which her fellow party members are seemingly uninterested in stopping.
“We’re still seeing throughout California girls being sold for commercial sex, seeing a lot of teenagers. Creeps in cars lining up to buy teenagers. We need to do more to address demand,” she said in support of the bill.
This time, it remains to be seen if Gov. Newsom will use his influence to revive the bill out of genuine concern or simply for political grandstanding.
