California Democrats are blocking an effort to make it a felony to purchase a 16 or 17-year-old for sex.
The move comes just one year after Democrats in the Legislature were on the receiving end of significant public backlash over amending a bill that would have cracked down on purchasing minors for sex.
Driving the news: Sen. Shannon Grove (R–Bakersfield) and Asm. Maggy Krell (D–Sacramento) proposed Assembly Bill 379 to ensure that anyone who trafficks a minor for sex would receive the same punishment, regardless of the age of the victim.
- Current state law punishes people who solicit minors under the age of 16 years old with a felony that holds a jail sentence of 16 months to three years. Soliciting a 16-year-old or 17-year-old would only bring the same punishment if the victim was already a victim of human trafficking.
The big picture: AB 379 was scheduled to be heard on Tuesday in the Assembly Public Safety Committee and faces a deadline of Friday to advance.
- But AB 379 was removed from Tuesday’s agenda. Committee Chair Asm. Nick Schultz (D–Burbank) told KCRA that the bill will be changed by the committee on Tuesday to exclude felony charges for people who purchase 16 and 17-year-olds for sex.
- Schultz reportedly wants to hold information hearings on the issue in the fall.
Flashback: Last year Grove authored Senate Bill 1414 to increase penalties for people who solicit minors for sex.
- The bill was eventually signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom, but not before Democrats forced amendments onto Grove to ensure that purchasing a 16 or 17-year-old for sex is not a felony.
What she’s saying: Nexstar reporter Eytan Wallace sat down with Grove on Monday to discuss the development with AB 379. Grove called the move “pure evil.”
- “We’re talking about kids being sold for sex and bought for sex,” Grove told Nexstar.
- She continued, “It’s pure evil. Minors should be protected from being bought and sold into the sex slave world.”
Just interviewed Sen. @shannongrove @ShannonGroveCA (R-Bakersfield) after anti-sex trafficking bill AB 379 by Assemblymember @maggykrell (D-Sacramento) and co-authored by Grove appears to have been removed from the list of bills set to appear before the Assembly Public Safety… pic.twitter.com/Tv9uHg3n8P— Eytan Wallace (@EytanWallace) April 28, 2025
