- California Democrats initially weakened Assembly Bill 379 by removing felony penalties for soliciting 16- and 17-year-olds for prostitution, sparking national backlash. They later partially restored harsher punishments.
- The bill originally sought to close legal gaps by making solicitation of any minor (<18) a felony and introduced new penalties for loitering to solicit prostitution, with fines funding victim support programs.
- After criticism, Democrats revised the bill to allow felony charges only if the offender is at least three years older than the minor (16–17); solicitation remains a misdemeanor for age gaps under three years.
- Democratic leadership stripped Assemblymember Maggy Krell (a former prosecutor) as the bill’s author after she joined Republicans to push for stronger penalties, arguing current laws fail to protect older minors in prostitution cases.
- Democrats defended softening the bill, citing fears of «unintended consequences» for LGBTQ+ youth and young adults, while critics accused them of prioritizing predators over victims.
California Democrats have reversed course on a controversial bill that initially stripped felony penalties for soliciting minors for prostitution, partially restoring harsher punishments after facing national backlash.
Assembly Bill 379, introduced by Democratic Assemblymember Maggy Krell, aims to strengthen penalties for sex buyers while improving support for survivors of human trafficking. The bill expands on Senate Bill 1414, which increased punishments for soliciting minors under 16 but left gaps in protections for older teens.
The legislation proposes two key reforms.
First, it would classify soliciting sex with any minor under 18 as a felony, addressing a loophole in SB 1414 that only covers children 15 and younger. It also introduces a new offense for loitering to solicit prostitution, giving law enforcement more tools to crack down on demand. Second, offenders would face a mandatory $1,000 fine, with proceeds going to community organizations that help trafficking survivors. The bill emphasizes rehabilitation over punishment for victims forced into the sex trade, prioritizing long-term recovery.
On April 29, the California State Assembly’s Public Safety Committee stripped AB 379 of charging a felony for those who pay for sex with 16- and 17-year-olds. (Related: California legislators BLOCK bill to make child trafficking a «serious felony.»)
But California Democrats have reversed course after facing backlash from Krell and several Republicans. AB 379 now allows prosecutors to pursue felony charges against adults at least three years older than a minor they solicit for sex, but solicitation remains a misdemeanor if the offender is within three years of the age of the minor.
«For adult offenders at least three years older than the minor, prosecutors will have new tools to bring felony charges,» said Assembly Public Safety Committee Chair Nick Schultz (D-Burbank). «When the adult offender is within three years of age of the minor, solicitation remains illegal and a misdemeanor.»
Democrats remove Krell as author of her own bill
Democrats have removed Krell as the author of her own bill after she joined Republicans to strengthen penalties for purchasing sex from 16- and 17-year-olds.
Prior to the removal, Schultz argued that existing laws already punish contacting minors for sexual purposes with felony charges. But Krell, also a former prosecutor, countered that California law has a critical gap when it comes to prostitution.
«The problem with [the law], which my colleague from Burbank referenced, is that it includes a whole host of statutes for contacting a minor, but there’s one that’s missing: prostitution,» she said.
Schultz and other Democrats raised concerns about «unintended consequences» for young adults and LGBTQ+ individuals if the felony provision remained. «As we’ve heard today and outside of this chamber, there are Californians who are concerned about unintended consequences on young adults and LGBTQIA+ Californians, should it be a felony for 16- and 17-year-olds,» Schultz said before the vote.
Visit Trafficking.news for more stories like this.
Watch this clip of a sheriff disclosing that 100,000 children are either with child traffickers or stuck in child abuse situations.
This video is from the Be Children of Light channel on Brighteon.com.
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