CA Democrats come back with amended sex solicitation bill. What would it do?
Less than a week after weathering blowback from Republicans for “siding with predators” on a bill that would strengthen penalties for people who solicit sex from 16 and 17-year-old minors, California Democratic lawmakers have returned with an amended bill that closely resembles the author’s original intent.
Assembly Bill 379, authored by Assemblymember Maggy Krell, D-Sacramento, originally included a measure that would have made felony charges possible for any adult who solicits, or exchanges goods or services for, sex with people 16 or 17 years old. Soliciting sex with anyone younger than 16 is already a felony, and a number of other laws prohibit buying and having sex with minors.
The newly amended bill would make felony charges possible on the first offense for offenders more than three years older than the victim. For those within three years of age of the victim, the crime would remain a misdemeanor.
“If you’re the 18-year-old who makes a mistake and solicits a 17-year-old, it’s still illegal, but it’s not going to ruin their life,” said Nick Miller, a spokesperson for Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, D-Hollister. Felony sex crime convictions require people to register as sex offenders in California.
The dust-up around the bill began last week, when Democrats said existing laws made the solicitation section of Krell’s loitering bill unnecessary, and moved it forward without the section. Republicans, who’ve consistently argued for harsher punishments for sex crimes — often winning the upper hand — capitalized on the move, forcing action on the Assembly floor Thursday. Democrats managed the crisis by amending Krell’s bill to say it was the “intent of the Legislature to adopt the strongest laws to protect 16- and 17-year-old victims.”
Assemblymembers Nick Schultz, D-Burbank, and Stephanie Nguyen, D-Elk Grove, were put in charge of the bill.
In a quick turnaround, Assembly Democrats announced on Tuesday they’d come to an agreement, and Krell was signing on as co-author.
Lawmakers will hear the bill Wednesday in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
“I’m looking at this from a prosecutor’s standpoint — this bill strengthens California law and gives us the felony hammer to prosecute the creeps that are preying on teenagers,” Krell said in a statement. “I appreciate everyone’s work on this bill, especially the survivors who won’t give up.”
This story was originally published May 6, 2025 at 2:01 PM.
