California Democrats reversed course and moved to strengthen sentencing for trafficking minors after public outrage over the Assembly Public Safety Committee’s initial failure to approve the bill. With a final vote of 6-0, including two abstentions from progressive Democrats, the bill now moves to the Appropriations Committee, after which, if it is approved, can move the bill to be voted upon by the entire State Assembly. https://justthenews.com/nation/states/center-square/california-democrats-move-strengthen-sentencing-trafficking-minors

If passed, SB 14 will make trafficking of minors a serious felony that would qualify under California’s three strikes law, which keeps dangerous, serial criminals off the streets, and make individuals convicted of the crime ineligible for early release.

Public figures from across the nation and political spectrum came out against the Public Safety Committee’s initial vote by all its Democratic members to deny the SB 14’s passage out of committee. With figures ranging from California Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas (D-Salinas), California governor Gavin Newsom, and even billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk questioning the vote, SB 14 quickly was brought back to the table.

Progressive Democrats, including Assembly Majority Leader Isaac Bryan (D-Los Angeles) opposed the bill on grounds that it would increase incarceration, which they believe does little to deter crime.

“Longer sentences…increase our investment in systems of harm and subjugation at the expense of the investments that the communities need to not have this problem to begin with,” Bryan, who abstained from the July 13 vote after voting no on July 12, said.

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