California needs stricter laws to protect vulnerable teens from exploitation | Opinion

California youth need stronger protections

“California’s Capitol lost its mind over a disputed sex trafficking bill | Opinion,” (sacbee.com, May 6)

It shouldn’t take political maneuvering to recognize that buying sex from minors is always predatory. Yet, for years, California law has allowed buyers to exploit 16- and 17-year-olds with only misdemeanor penalties, treating their abuse as less serious than younger victims.

Assembly Bill 379 is finally fixing this loophole by reinstating felony charges and bringing state law in line with federal protections. But a three-year age gap exception remains, allowing some offenders to avoid full accountability. This could leave vulnerable teens at risk and weaken enforcement efforts.

The law should protect all minors equally, without loopholes that let exploiters off the hook. Lawmakers are moving in the right direction, but they must fully commit to shielding vulnerable youth from exploitation without compromise or hesitation.

California’s children deserve the strongest possible protections.

Jonathan Arrmstrong

Rancho Cordova

Bera breaks his oath

“Democratic representives drop sponsorship of Thanedar’s resolution to impeach Trump,” (sacbee.com, May 2)

Unlike Dr. Ami Bera, who represents my district and refused to comment on the articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump filed by Rep. Shri Thanedar, D-MI, many citizens are speaking out in support of impeaching, convicting and removing Trump from office.

As a retired Air Force veteran, I swore an oath to protect and defend this country against all enemies, foreign and domestic. It is the same oath Trump swore during his inauguration which he has repeatedly broken. And Bera, in not taking a stand, is breaking his oath..

Andrea Scully

Fair Oaks

Reforming state government

“Why California needs its own DOGE | Opinion,” (sacbee.com, April 30)

No one wants to reform the state government more than state workers. Good workers want bad workers gone. Streamlining operations, eliminating duplication and cutting waste would remove burdens on both constituents and state workers.

Supporters of President Donald Trump talk about merit, except for when it comes to the merit of the Department of Government Efficiency, which has caused people to lose critical services.,. Because of this disrespectful mismanagement, talented individuals will not want to work in the federal government, thereby forcing the employment of subpar public servants and the money-gouging privatization of public services.

Daniel Rubinstein

Sacramento

Need for urgent reform

“Troubling report findings on how CA cops treat young people,” (sacbee.com, March 18)

This op-ed underscores the urgent need for systemic reform to address police officers’ disproportionate and excessive use of force against Black, Brown and Native youth. It rightly notes how legislators have largely ignored data demonstrating how marginalized youth are consistently over-policed and pushed into correctional facilities.

As someone working with youth who have experienced trauma, I write to urge support for Assembly Bill 788, which would require correctional facilities to provide trauma-informed, gender-responsive and culturally sensitive programming.

Correctional settings should be places of healing and rehabilitation. Too often, however, they only deepen the trauma these youth carry. Marginalized youth are overrepresented in every negative outcome measure because our systems continually devalue their humanity. AB 788 is a necessary — if modest — step toward repairing that harm and building a justice system that believes in their futures.

Anna Gibson

Oakland

A cyclist’s perspective

“Yes, citing Sacramento cyclists will improve street safety,” (sacbee.com, April 29)

To argue that Sacramento should ticket bicyclists to improve street safety is comical. I do not walk or drive in Sacramento, fearing that I may be hit by a reckless bicyclist. As a bicyclist, I am always fearful that I could be hit by a reckless driver.

In 2024, Sacramento declared a state of emergency due to excessive bicyclist and pedestrian deaths — not deaths caused by bicyclists. Bicyclists do not hinder street safety; drivers do.

Citizens must advocate for measures to curtail reckless driving, not reckless bicycling. Bicyclists must always be defensive. Drivers don’t look before crossing bike lanes. Drivers block bike lanes, forcing bicyclists to circumnavigate them. Drivers run red lights without a passing thought.

Sacramento is a “bike-friendly” city, yet bicyclists are disregarded and disrespected. Sacramentans should be grateful that so many of us ride our bicycles instead of driving and should look out for our safety.

Julia Dolloff

West Sacramento