California Assembly Faces Legislative Clash Over Child Sex Trafficking Bill

A contentious debate has erupted in the California legislature over whether to make it an automatic felony to solicit or buy sex from 16- and 17-year-olds. Assemblymember Maggy Krell introduced Assembly Bill 379 to expand current laws—which already make it a felony to solicit sex from children under 16—to include older teens, but a key provision increasing penalties was removed by the Assembly Public Safety Committee over concerns it could disproportionately impact certain groups and situations. Governor Gavin Newsom and other state leaders have publicly supported harsher penalties, while some Democrats argue that existing laws already cover these offenses and warn of potential unintended consequences. Republicans have seized on the issue, criticizing Democrats for not going far enough to protect minors and vowing to force a vote to restore the stricter penalties. The legislative split highlights ongoing divisions within the Democratic Party on criminal justice policy and the best approach to combating sex trafficking. Krell and others committed to revisiting the issue, emphasizing the need to protect all minors from sexual exploitation.