WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 30: (L-R) Warner Music Group CEO Robert Kyncl, British singer-songwriter FKA twigs, AG-AFTRA National Executive Director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, Ben Sheffner, the Senior Vice President and Associate General Counsel of the Motion Picture Association, President and CEO of Digital Media Association, Graham Davies, and Lisa P. Ramsey, a Professor of Law at the University of San Diego School of Law are sworn in during a hearing on the "The Nurture Originals, Foster Art, and Keep Entertainment Safe (NO FAKES) Act" with the Subcommittee on Intellectual Property at the Dirksen Senate Office Building on April 30, 2024 in Washington, DC. The Senate Judiciary Subcommittee held the hearing to discuss contents of the NO FAKES act, a bipartisan bill that would protect the voice and visual likeness of individuals from unauthorized recreations from generative artificial intelligence (AI). (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Sacramento, California – The California Assembly on Thursday unanimously approved a bill to strengthen criminal penalties for soliciting sex from 16- and 17-year-olds, advancing a once-contentious proposal that has sparked weeks of heated political debate at the state Capitol.
The measure, introduced by Assemblymember Maggy Krell (D-Sacramento), aims to curb child exploitation by allowing prosecutors to charge individuals who solicit older minors for sex with either a misdemeanor or a felony — provided the offender is at least three years older than the victim. The bill is now headed to the state Senate for consideration.
“This is our solution to one of the most prevalent problems in the state of California — the exploitation and the trafficking of children,” said Assemblymember Nick Schultz (D-Burbank), chair of the Assembly Committee on Public Safety. Schultz acknowledged the “messy” legislative process but praised the final product as a necessary step to protect vulnerable youth.
Existing California law already allows for felony charges in cases involving minors under 16. However, the original version of Krell’s bill sought to expand that authority to include 16-—and 17-year-olds. In April, a committee stripped the felony provision, triggering backlash from Republican lawmakers, Gov. Gavin Newsom, and the public. Amid growing pressure, lawmakers last week reached a compromise to reinstate felony charges only when offenders are significantly older than the teen victims.
During Thursday’s floor debate, several lawmakers delivered personal and impassioned speeches. Assemblymember Pilar Schiavo (D-Chatsworth) shared her experience as a survivor of child sexual abuse, recalling her emotional testimony against her abuser and the trauma of later living next door to him during high school.
“This experience continues to shape my views and actions when it comes to protecting children and victims of crime,” Schiavo said, tearfully, “and it’s one of the reasons I will always stand on the side of creating more support for victims and accountability for predators.”
While supporting the bill, Assemblymember LaShae Sharp-Collins (D-San Diego) voiced concern about unintended consequences. She cautioned that the bill’s provision criminalizing loitering with intent to buy sex could be misused by law enforcement.
“When laws are vague, they are ripe for profiling,” Sharp-Collins said. “I’m truly worried about Black, brown, and LGBTQIA+ individuals being overly policed for simply existing in public spaces.”
