Gov. Gavin Newsom spoke out Tuesday in assist of laws that sought to extend the punishment to a felony for soliciting a 16- or 17-year-old for intercourse in California after Democrats within the state Meeting watered down the invoice.
“The regulation ought to deal with all intercourse predators who solicit minors the identical — as a felony, whatever the meant sufferer’s age,” Newsom stated in a press release first offered to KCRA. “Full cease.”
It’s uncommon for the Democratic governor to take a place earlier than a invoice reaches his desk, however Newsom has interjected within the legislative course of a couple of occasions to assist rising penalties for intercourse crimes in opposition to minors, opposing members of his personal occasion.
The invoice sought to criminalize loitering with intent to purchase intercourse and construct on current state regulation to make it a felony to solicit anybody below 18 for intercourse.
It’s at present a felony in California to pay for intercourse with a minor below the age of 16. State regulation additionally carries stronger felony penalties for intercourse trafficking a minor below age 18.
Democrats refused to permit the proposal to be heard in a public security committee listening to Tuesday except Assemblymember Maggy Krell (D-Sacramento), who carried the invoice, agreed to take away the felony cost for soliciting 16- and 17-year-olds from the laws.
The motion from Democrats impressed a wave of criticism in regards to the occasion’s priorities through the listening to and on social media.
“These are women, and these are folks that our society must be doing every part they will to guard,” Assemblymember Tom Lackey (R-Palmdale) stated through the listening to. “So why are we defending the predator?”
Democrats defended the choice and stated they’ll maintain extra hearings on the subject sooner or later.
