Legislature Targets Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children

There are a number of bills moving through the California Legislature this session that target the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC). This issue had garnered an increasing amount of state and national media attention, prompting both houses of the Legislature to introduce measures to increase penalties and assist child victims. CSAC has also joined with the County Welfare Directors Association and the Urban Counties Caucus in asking the Legislative Budget Committees to consider a budget augmentation to build capacity within local child welfare agencies to serve child victims of commercial sexual exploitation. 

On the Legislative side, the following measures are moving through the process:

AB 1791 (Maienschein) would expand the scope of the Sex Offender Registration Act to apply to a person who recruits or attempts to recruit a minor to engage in a commercial sex act. It is currently located in the Assembly Public Safety Committee. 

AB 1887 (Campos) would allow a victim of human trafficking to request that their criminal offense or records be sealed or set aside. It has been referred to the Assembly Appropriations Committee. 

AB 2321 (Gomez) would require the California Victim Compensation and Government Claims Board to apply to the Department of Motor Vehicles to sponsor a domestic violence, secual assault, and sex trafficking awareness license plate program. It is before the Assembly Transportation Committee. 

AB 2424 (Campos) would raise the misdemeanor fine for someone who takes a person against his or her will or by misrepresentation for purposes of prostitution from $2,000 to $10,000. It is currently in the Assembly Public Safety Committee. 

AB 2642 (Campos) is an intent bill that would eventually include language to limit the public display of sexualized images of female minors. It has not yet been referred to a committee. 

SB 926 (Beall) would lengthen the statute of limitations for prosecution of specified felony sex offenses that occurred when the victim was under 18 years of age from any time prior to the victim’s 28th birthday to any time prior to the victim’s 40th birthday for offenses committed on or after January 1, 2015. It will be heard by the Senate Public Safety Committee on April 29. 

SB 982 (Huff) would increase the length of time a person found guilty of soliciting or engaging in an act of prostitution with a person who is under 18 years old from six months to one year for a misdemeanor and up to three years for a felony. It will be heard by the Senate Public Safety Committee on April 22.

SB 1165 (Mitchell) would require the Instructional Quality Commission to develop a distinct category on dating violence, sexual abuse, and sex trafficking prevention education for pupil instruction. The Senate Education Committee will hear the bill on April 24. 

SB 1388 (Lieu) would increase the fines for a commercial sex act involving any person who was a minor at the time of the offense by at least $1,000 and not more than $10,000. Moneys collected would be deposited in a new Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children Services Fund created in the State Treasury. The Senate Public Safety Committee will hear SB 1388 on April 22.