Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill on Wednesday that increases the penalty for some criminals who ask young people of 16 and 17 years by sex.
The new law will allow prosecutors to accuse suspects who are at least three years older than the child who request for sex with a serious crime instead of a minor crime in a first crime, often called “Wobbler” since prosecutors have discretion. The provision addresses the older “Johns” and avoids charging all younger criminals with a serious crime.
All children under 16 and those 18 who are victims of trafficking in persons are already considered cases of Wobbler under the existing law.
The bill, AB 379, was found with controversy in spring when the Democrats forced the amendments to the Maggy Krell Assembly Draft.
Newsom joined a choir of republican and public recoil to change, an unusual movement before a bill arrives at his desk. “The law should treat all sexual predators who ask minors the same, as a serious crime, regardless of the age of the expected victim,” said Newsom in a statement. “Complete detection”.
The Democrats had other concerns about a disposition of the new law that would make it a minor crime to lod with the intention of buying commercial sex, arguing that it could be used to attack the minorities and the poor.
“When the laws are vague, they are mature for the profile,” said the Shark-collins assembly (D-San Diego) when the bill approved the assembly in May, after legislators reached an agreement to add the three-year stipulation.
The new law also creates a survivor support fund, which will be supported by greater fines for criminals and hoteliers who do not inform sexual trafficking in its facilities.
