An Urgent Plea for Justice: Senators Susan Rubio and Shannon Grove Demand Reevaluation of SB 14 in California’s Battle Against Human Trafficking
SACRAMENTO, CA - It deeply disappoints me that the Assembly Public Safety Committee members were not able to see past party labels to recognize the faces of the children suffering at the hands of sex traffickers. As the proud co-author of Senate Bill 14 (SB 14), alongside my colleague Senator Shannon Grove, we have been advocating tirelessly for stronger protections against human trafficking in California since last year.
To me, to us, SB 14 is not about partisan politics - it's about human rights. This bill is our response to a rapidly growing criminal enterprise, a horrific industry that exploits the most vulnerable among us, profiting to the tune of $150 billion annually globally. This bill is a response to the cries of children as young as 11 and 12 who are forced into unfathomable acts of depravity and face unthinkable brutality at the hands of their captors.
Unfortunately, current California law doesn’t classify human trafficking as a serious crime, meaning it isn’t considered a strike under our Three Strikes law. Our bill, SB 14, is a firm step to rectify this situation by classifying sex trafficking of minors as a serious crime.
While the initial rejection of SB 14 by the Assembly Public Safety Committee was a setback, I maintain my hope that they will reconsider. I am grateful to the California Catholic Conference for standing with us in supporting SB 14 and lending the strength of their 12-million-strong community to this critical issue. Their endorsement, along with the tireless work of countless advocates and the U.S. Catholic Sisters Against Human Trafficking, gives us hope that change is within reach.
I believe that saving victims from human trafficking shouldn't be this hard, and it's about time that we start treating these horrendous acts for what they truly are - serious crimes. We hope for a successful second round in the Assembly, for the sake of the countless lives at stake.
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Senator Susan Rubio represents Senate District 22. For more information, visit https://sd22.senate.ca.gov/