Flora Bill Aims To Crackdown On Child Pornography Possession

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Sonora, CA — Republican Assemblyman Heath Flora, who represents communities like Copperopolis and La Grange, says a recent outing with law enforcement officials spurred him to introduce new legislation.

Flora joined the Sacramento Sheriff on a large sting operation going after criminals who target kids for sexual exploitation. Flora left both stunned and horrified.

He says, “There were things that we saw, evidence we looked at, that will haunt me for a very long time. As a father of two young daughters, it really made me want to do something to help.”

California has a list of crimes that make an incarcerated person ineligible for early release credits. Flora’s bill, AB 1898, would add possession of child pornography to the list.

He adds, “Committing acts of physical sexual violence on children is already on the list of crimes that disqualify incarcerated persons from earning early release credits. However, the possession of illicit material involving our kids (child pornography) is not.”

Last year, when lawmakers debated a bill to add child human trafficking to the list of “serious felonies” in California, Flora asked colleagues in the chambers to “Pick a team. Pick kids, or pick pedophiles.” Flora indicates that it is a similar situation this session with AB 1898.