11 months ago
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FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) — Heavier penalties for those taking portion successful kid enactment trafficking person been signed into law, an effort which began successful the Central Valley.
Governor Gavin Newsom signed Central Valley State Senator Shannon Grove's Bill SB 1414 into instrumentality connected Thursday. As good arsenic expanding penalties for immoderate forms kid enactment trafficking, it besides supports victims and survivors.
"My squad and everybody we combat truthful hard is due to the fact that we've heard the stories from parents, from kid trafficking survivors that are present adults and from adults that are, that were conscionable precocious rescued from quality trafficking. And it's horrific," Senator Shannon Grove said.
The measure volition marque it a felony successful the authorities of California to acquisition and solicit a insignificant aged 15 and younger.
Republican Senator Grove authorized the bill, primitively penning it to use to immoderate enactment trafficking unfortunate younger than 18-years-old. But Democrats amended the bill, requiring 16 and 17-year-olds to archetypal beryllium successful tribunal they are victims of enactment trafficking, and lone past could the alleged enactment purchaser beryllium charged with a felony.
"We've got to commencement doing significant, important worldly to alteration the mode that perpetrators are treated successful this state," Senator Grove said.
Debra Rush is simply a subsister of quality trafficking, a co-founder and CEO of the non-profit enactment 'Breaking the Chains' which works to combat quality trafficking successful the Central Valley.
She has been impacted by the symptom trafficking leaves astatine each level. In April, her ain girl mislaid her beingness erstwhile she was changeable successful Los Angeles - successful an country constabulary accidental has a agelong past of quality trafficking.
Rush was incapable to talk with our station, but issued the pursuing connection speechmaking successful part:
The bill’s transition volition beryllium instrumental successful deterring the request that fuels these heinous crimes, and we are hopeful that it volition bring america person to a safer aboriginal for our youth. While we observe this victory, we are besides profoundly disappointed by the exclusion of 16 and 17-year-olds from the aforesaid level of extortion and justice.
Debra Rush, Co-Founder and CEO of Breaking the ChainsSenator Grove adds-the combat doesn't halt here.
"I'm truly grateful that the measure got signed and got out. But we're not going to halt fighting. We're going to support going," Senator Grove said.
The measure volition spell into effect successful the caller year.
