Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill on Wednesday which increases the sentence for certain offenders who solicit young people aged 16 and 17 for sexual relations.
The new law will allow prosecutors to charge suspects who are at least three years older than the minor that they are asking for sex with a crime instead of an offense during a first offense – often called “Wobbler” because prosecutors have discretion. The provision targets older “johns” and avoids charging all the youngest offenders with a crime.
All minors under the age of 16 and the 18 victims of the trafficking in human beings are already considered as Wobbler affairs under the existing law.
The bill, AB 379, met the controversy in the spring when the Democrats forced the amendments to the assembly of the Maggy Krell bill (D-Sacramento), arguing that allowing prosecutors to choose whether to welcome a crime with a crime or a delicate during a first offense could potentially harm the victims.
Newsom joined a republican and public decline in change in change, a rare decision before a bill struck its office. “The law should deal with all sexual predators who request minors in the same way – as a crime, whatever the age of the planned victim,” Newsom said in a statement. “Complete stop.”
Democrats had other concerns concerning a provision of the new law which would make it an offense to stroll through the intention of buying commercial sex, arguing that it could potentially be used to target minorities and poor.
“When the laws are vague, they are ripe for profiling,” said the assembly of the Lashae assembly (D-San Diego) said when the bill adopted the Assembly in May, after the legislators concluded an agreement to add the stipulation of three years.
The new law also creates a fund for support for survivors, which will be supported by increased fines for offenders and hoteliers who do not report sex trafficking in their premises.