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Newsom Signs Bill Toughening Penalties for Adult Solicitation of 16- and 17-Year-Olds

Restored loitering penalties will fund a new survivor support program through fines when the law takes effect in January 2027.

Assembly Member Maggy Krell, D-Sacramento, a former deputy attorney general in the California Department of Justice and Planned Parenthood chief legal counsel, wrote Assembly Bill 379.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday signed a bill that proponents say will strengthen sentences against sex traffickers and opponents say can be used to sweep up immigrant and LGBTQ communities who have not actually done anything wrong.
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Overview

  • Assembly Bill 379 makes it a felony for adults more than three years older than a 16- or 17-year-old to solicit sex.
  • The law reverses a 2021 decriminalization by reinstating misdemeanor charges for loitering with intent to purchase sex.
  • A dedicated survivor support fund will be financed by increased fines on offenders and hoteliers who fail to report trafficking.
  • Businesses that allow sex trafficking on their premises face heftier penalties under the new legislation.
  • Civil rights advocates warn that the revived loitering offense could enable racial profiling and strengthen immigration enforcement tactics.