Overview

• The California Assembly approved amendments to AB 379, removing the provision that would make soliciting sex from 16- and 17-year-olds an automatic felony.
• Current law treats solicitation of minors under 16 as a felony, while solicitation of 16- and 17-year-olds remains a misdemeanor under most circumstances.
• Governor Gavin Newsom criticized the decision, emphasizing that all sex predators soliciting minors, regardless of age, should face felony charges.
• Democratic lawmakers cited concerns that felony charges could be misused to target interracial and LGBTQ relationships, advocating for further study of the issue.
• Assembly Chair Nick Schultz pledged to revisit the matter in the fall, with plans to propose a revised bill addressing the gap in protections for older teens next year.