Asm. Isaac Bryan (D-Ladera Heights), left, and Asm. Maggy Krell (D-Sacramento) on the floor of the State Assembly during debate on AB 379, May 1, 2025. The bill, authored by Krell, would make it a felony to buy sex from 16- and 17-year-old trafficking victims. CBM photo by Antonio Ray Harvey.

      The California Assembly unanimously approved a bill on Thursday that increases criminal penalties for soliciting sex from 16- and 17-year-olds. The measure aims to protect vulnerable teens and hold offenders accountable.

      Assemblymember Nick Schultz (D-Burbank), chair of the Assembly Public Safety Committee, acknowledged the bill faced a “messy” process but said it is an important step forward.

      “This is our solution to one of the most prevalent problems in the state of California, the exploitation and the trafficking of children,” Schultz said before the vote.

      Originally, the bill’s author, Assemblymember Maggy Krell (D-Sacramento) wanted to treat solicitation of older teens as either a felony or misdemeanor to better target offenders and support victims. However, controversy arose when the felony provision was removed for cases involving 16- and 17-year-olds. After public pressure, Democrats agreed to apply stronger penalties only when offenders are more than three years older than the victim.

      Assemblymember Pilar Schiavo (D-Chatsworth) spoke in support of the bill, sharing her own experience as a child sexual abuse victim. In an emotional statement, she described testifying against her abuser in court and living next door to him afterward.

      “This experience continues to shape my views and actions when it comes to protecting children and victims of crime,” said Schiavo. “It’s one of the reasons I will always stand on the side of creating more support for victims and creating accountability for predators.”

      While the bill was broadly supported, Assemblymember LaShae Sharp-Collins (D-La Mesa), a member of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) expressed concerns about parts of the law that criminalize loitering with intent to buy sex.

      “When laws are vague, they are ripe for profiling,” said Sharp-Collins.

      She warned that such provisions could disproportionately affect minorities and the poor, including Black, brown and the LGBTQIA+ individuals being overly policed and targeted for their mere presence in an area without them actually doing anything criminal.

      The bill now moves to the state Senate for consideration.