It is difficult to believe, but until January 1, 2024, child sex trafficking was considered a “non-serious” felony in California. That is the date that CA Senate Bill 14, aimed at intensifying the crackdown on child trafficking, officially became law.

This landmark legislation reclassifies the human trafficking of minors for commercial sex acts as a “serious felony,” an amendment that significantly raises the stakes for those convicted of such crimes. Under this new law, these offenses now count as a strike under California’s stringent “Three Strikes” law, leading to more severe prison sentences for offenders.

The bill, introduced by Senator Shannon Grove and supported by Governor Gavin Newsom, received unanimous support in the state Assembly and Senate, demonstrating a strong bipartisan commitment to tackling this heinous crime. The decision to pass SB 14 into law came amidst rising concerns over the growing number of child sex trafficking cases in California. The legislative process saw the bill overcoming various challenges, including concerns about prison overcrowding, before ultimately being signed into law.

The enactment of SB 14 is part of California’s broader efforts to combat human trafficking. Since 2019, the state has invested over $280 million in efforts to dismantle trafficking networks and support victims and survivors. This comprehensive approach includes funding for programs aiding human trafficking survivors, Family Justice Centers, and Human Trafficking Task Forces at the California Department of Justice. The law has garnered support from a wide range of organizations and individuals, including law enforcement agencies, city and county governments, and advocacy groups dedicated to combating human trafficking and supporting survivors.

This new legislation is a significant step in California’s ongoing battle against human trafficking, particularly in protecting minors from sexual exploitation. It reflects a concerted effort by lawmakers, law enforcement, and advocacy groups to address a deeply entrenched and complex issue that affects the lives of many vulnerable individuals in the state.

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(This post was largely generated by ChatGPT with Bing search integration, and additional research was done using Google’s Bard AI. It was grammar-checked using Grammarly, edited, expanded, and validated by an actual human. The featured image for this post was generated in Midjourney v6 using the prompt: “a sad and lonely child, alone in a room, dark color palette, abstract concept art, watercolor”)