Senator Shannon Grove’s (R-Bakersfield) legislation, Senate Bill (SB) 14, is one of the first enhancement bills to pass out of Senate Public Safety Committee this year. As amended, SB 14 is a bi-partisan measure that would add human trafficking of a minor to the list of felony crimes that are defined as serious, making it a strike offense, under California’s Three Strikes law.
The fastest growing criminal industry in the world is the buying and selling of human beings, and California is one of the largest hubs for human trafficking.
“SB 14 will help strengthen protections for the thousands of minor victims who are sex trafficked and will serve as a deterrent for those who engage in this horrendous crime. While I am thankful that my legislation passed out of Senate Public Safety and will protect countless children who are trafficked, I remain committed to continuing to fight for survivors and victims of all ages.”
This bipartisan measure was coauthored by 31 members of the Legislature. SB 14 is supported by a large coalition of human trafficking survivors, advocates, local, national and international organizations. 3Strands Global Foundation, whose mission is to mobilize communities in order to combat human trafficking through prevention, education and reintegration programs, sponsored the measure.
“3Strands Global Foundation is honored to sponsor Senate Bill 14. As an organization that has worked for over a decade to end human trafficking, we applaud Senator Grove’s determination to ensure our communities are safe from this serious crime. SB 14 will bring justice for survivors and hold traffickers responsible who perpetrate this crime. We are committed to doing our part to hold those responsible for trafficking in our communities accountable, and it is our hope that the legislators will now do theirs,” said Ashley Bryant, CEO and co-founder of 3Strands Global Foundation.
An estimated 40 million people globally in the last decade have been forced into this modern form of slavery called human trafficking, a number that continues to grow. This horrendous practice could very easily be defined as “The Crime of our Time.” Human trafficking is one of the world’s fastest growing and most lucrative crimes, generating around $150 billion around the world each year.
SB 14 made it out of the Senate Public Safety Committee with a 5-0 vote and will next be heard in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Press conference videos and photos: https://tinyurl.com/mbw4uv7b