SACRAMENTO - Senator Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield) announced her bill Senate Bill 14, cleared the full Senate on concurrence with a unanimous vote. SB 14 would include sex trafficking of minors in the lists of crimes that are defined as serious under California law, making the crime a strike under the Three Strikes law. Click here to view and download Senator Grove's remarks following the passage of SB 14 on concurrence today.
Human trafficking is a heinous crime that violates basic human rights and destroys countless lives. In California, human trafficking is rampant, and the state must take bold action to hold traffickers accountable for their crimes.
California has the unfortunate distinction of being one of the top states for human trafficking in the United States. Thousands of people, many of them minors, are forced into sexual exploitation each year.
“Today is a huge victory for every survivor who has shared their story in hopes of making a change with Senate Bill 14,” said Senate Shannon Grove. “With the passage of this bill, we are sending a clear message to repeat child traffickers— we intend to put you out of business and into prison.”
This bipartisan measure is coauthored by 64 members of the Legislature. SB 14 is supported by over a hundred local, national and international organizations, including a coalition of human trafficking survivors and advocates. 3Strands Global Foundation, whose mission is to mobilize communities in order to combat human trafficking through prevention, education and reintegration programs, sponsored the measure.
"Over the past 13 years, 3Strands Global Foundation has worked alongside survivors in our prevention and reintegration work. The final passage of SB 14 through the California State Legislature is a win for every Californian and especially our survivors who have advocated for this legislation for the last several years. Thank you Senator Grove for your leadership with this bi-partisan bill," said Ashlie Bryant, CEO and co-founder of 3Strands Global Foundation.
An estimated 40 million people globally in the last decade have been forced into this form of modern slavery called human trafficking, a number that continues to grow. This horrendous practice could very easily be defined as, The Crime of our Time. It is one of the world’s fastest growing and most lucrative crimes, generating around $150 billion around the world each year.
SB 14 passed through the legislature and is headed to the Governor’s desk for his signature by October 14.