Democrats in the California State Assembly reversed course Thursday and advanced legislation that toughens penalties for child trafficking following a backlash after a committee previously failed to advance it.
The Assembly Public Safety Committee had earlier blocked SB14, which had been introduced by Republican State Sen. Shannon Grove of California, before four members of the committee reversed course, the Associated Press reported. The legislation makes trafficking children a “serious felony” on par with murder, rape and mayhem.
After the failure to advance the bill generated public outrage, California State Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas publicly pledged to “get it right” following an intervention by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom. The bill is moving on to the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
“I’m going to make a commitment to do everything in my power to get it on the governor’s desk so he can sign it,” Jones said.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said “millions” are exploited by human traffickers in his introduction to the 2023 Trafficking in Persons Report issued by the State Department’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons.
“Sound of Freedom,” a film based on the life of former Department of Homeland Security investigator Tim Ballard, who founded Operation Underground Railroad, grossed $11.5 million, finishing a close second to “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,” which earned $11.698 million, according to Deadline.
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