Sacramento, CA — A high-profile bill at the state capitol was approved in the Assembly Appropriations Committee, and it will now move to the full legislative body for consideration.
Senate Bill 14 is authored by Central Valley Republican Senator Shannon Grove and would increase penalties for child traffickers by adding it to the list of serious offenses in the state.
The GOP-backed bill stalled earlier this session, but it received new momentum after Governor Gavin Newsom got behind it.
Senator Grove says, “This bill has strong bipartisan support with 64 coauthors from both parties and both houses. Protecting victims of child sex trafficking should not be a partisan issue. Today is a victory for every survivor. I am confident most members of the Assembly want to vote for this bill, and thanks to today’s vote they will have a chance. However, the fight to make the human trafficking of a child a serious felony is not yet finished and I urge every Californian to stay engaged until the bill is signed into law.”
Senate Bill 14 will go to the full Assembly sometime before the legislature adjourns on September 14.
Written by BJ Hansen.
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