SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Protecting kids from sex trafficking is a crucial goal for State Senator Shannon Grove. 

What You Need To Know

  • Senate Bill 1414 would change the act to a felony, building off her work from last year to make the exact change in criminal punishment for those who sell children for sex

  • SB 1414 is a bipartisan measure that would increase the punishment to four years in prison with a fine of up to $25,000

  • Even though SB 1414 passed the committee, it was done so with major amendments that addressed concerns from the opposition

  • Criminal justice reform advocates oppose the bill because it is too broad and could have unintended consequences for teenagers

It’s what inspired her to introduce a bill that would go after those who buy children for sex, which is currently considered a misdemeanor in California.

Grove’s bill, Senate Bill 1414, would change the act to a felony, building off her work from last year to make the exact change in criminal punishment for those who sell children for sex.

The misdemeanor charge limits the maximum punishment for those charged with purchasing a child for sex to one year in jail and a $10,000 fine.

SB 1414 is a bipartisan measure that would increase the punishment to four years in prison with a fine of up to $25,000.

“I want them to pay a $25,000 fine so that those resources can go to the individuals and organizations behind me and others like them around the state,” Grove said at a press conference before her bill was heard in the Senate Public Safety Committee.

SB 1414 garnered the support of many human trafficking survivors like Sandy Esparza, who says she was 14 when her trafficker started selling her in South Central Los Angeles.

“The laws didn’t protect me then and they aren’t protecting children now,” Esparza notes. “Currently, sex buyers rape children and walk away with a slap on the wrist in California.”

Esparza manages a human trafficking prevention program in Southern California. The mother of two teenagers was one of the many survivors who traveled to the California State Capitol to urge lawmakers to pass the bill.

Even though SB 1414 passed the committee, it was done so with major amendments that addressed concerns from the opposition. 

Criminal justice reform advocates oppose the bill because it is too broad and could have unintended consequences for teenagers.

“The core problem is that this bill is not limited to solicitation by mature adults or even adults at all. This bill applies to words spoken by 16 or 17-year-olds to another 17-year-old,” said Natasha Minsker, policy adviser for Smart Justice California.

Members of the committee agreed and added an amendment to have the increased punishment not apply if the child purchased is 16 years or older.

“That’s garbage — garbage. I don’t know what to say,” Grove said after the bill passed with the amendments, she rejected. “I may pull my name off the bill. It’s not my bill. They hijacked my bill, and they turned it into something that was palatable to them.”

Esparza was also disappointed with the committee’s decision but said she will continue to fight for victims and survivors.

“Why are we failing our children and why aren’t we changing things? They’re the most vulnerable in our society and it’s our duty to protect them,” she adds.

Grove says her next step is to talk with survivor groups to decide if they should move forward with the amended version or pull the bill.