A bill introduced in California, Senate Bill 1414, is facing potential delays in getting a vote due to concerns from state finance officials about the costs associated with housing additional prison inmates. The bill, introduced by Republican state Sen. Shannon Grove, aims to increase penalties for child sex buyers in the state. It would allow prosecutors to charge adults soliciting minors with a felony, with potential penalties of up to three years in prison and a $10,000 fine. The bill also includes provisions for adult offenders to register annually as sex offenders if convicted multiple times of soliciting minors.
During a recent Assembly Appropriations Committee hearing, the California Department of Finance spoke out against the bill, citing concerns about the impact on the state’s prison population and associated costs. The department official stated that the state has successfully remained below court-ordered prison population caps and has made progress towards closing prisons, resulting in millions of dollars in annual savings. The potential costs associated with increasing the prison population were a major point of contention during the hearing, with estimates ranging from $10,000 to tens of thousands of dollars per additional inmate.
Despite the concerns raised by state finance officials, lawmakers, including State Sen. Grove, have dismissed the financial implications, arguing that the costs of combating child sex trafficking are a minor concern compared to the severity of the issue. Gov. Gavin Newsom has expressed his support for the bill, emphasizing the importance of addressing child sex trafficking as a matter of right and wrong, instead of a financial question. Republican Assembly leader James Gallagher echoed this sentiment, criticizing the state’s misplaced priorities in funding other initiatives over ensuring that perpetrators of child sex crimes are held accountable.
In addition to financial concerns, State Sen. Grove faced challenges in advancing the bill due to amendments made by the Democratic-controlled Senate Public Safety Committee. These amendments resulted in the exclusion of 16 and 17-year-olds from the bill’s protections, requiring them to prove they are victims of trafficking in order for the perpetrator to be charged. The bill is currently on the suspense file, pending further discussion and a potential vote in a special hearing. Supporters of the bill, including Grove and Gov. Newsom, are advocating for its passage as a necessary step in addressing the issue of child sex trafficking in California.
