Sacramento – The Democrats of the Assembly resumed the opposition to a controversial bill which would increase the sentence for having requested a minor aged 16 or 17, a change which occurs after having faced a barrier of criticism of the Republicans and a reprimand of Governor Gavin Newsom.
The new amendments to legislation, AB 379, would allow prosecutors to file a complaint against adults who solicit sex for a man aged 16 or 17. If the accused is three years older than the minor, he can be accused of a crime. If the offender is within three years of the minor, the accusation is an offense.
The bill will now include a state subsidy program to help rationalize the proceedings in cases of human trafficking and sex trafficking, and a fund for supporting survivors, partially funded by increased fines for companies that ignore or help human beings.
The current law authorizes the offense of solicitation of a minor under the age of 16 for sex as an offense or a crime on the first offense and as a crime on subsequent offenses.
The assembly of the Maggy Krell Assembly (D-Sacramento) is the author of AB 379 to extend the same punishment for those who have requested children aged 16 and 17. Last week, the Assembly led by the Democrats approved an amendment which abolished this provision, to which Krell opposed.
Tuesday, Krell published a statement supporting the new changes in Democratic leadership.
“I look at this from the point of view of a prosecutor-this bill strengthens the Californian law and gives us the criminal hammer to pursue the flippers that attacks adolescents,” she said in a statement.
Krell temporarily combined the Republicans last week when she received two options – modify the bill without increased accusation for crime, or let her die in a committee. The Democrats defended the amendment despite the comments from Newsom, who said that anyone who solicits a minor should be accused of a crime.
The bill, in its modified form, is still under the study of the Assembly.
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