Earlier this week, democrats on the assembly public safety committee blocked Senate Bill 14, which would increase the charges for human trafficking to “a serious felony.”
Serious felony charges in California currently include crimes which may incur the death penalty or life sentence in prison. The bill had previously cleared the state senate unanimously with bipartisan support back in May before being blocked by the assembly. But after facing backlash from the public and state leaders, including governor Gavin Newsom, the assembly public safety committee held a special hearing yesterday to vote on the bill again.
The measure passed 6 to 0 with assemblymembers Mia Bonita and Isaac Bryan not voting. Though he voted in favor of the trafficking measure, Jones-Sawyer said the bill still needs work.
