The California Assembly Committee on Public Safety killed an initiative that would have significantly enhanced the penalties for the trafficking of human beings. That happened despite the initiative being approved by the state’s Senate with support from both parties.
Ridiculous
This ultimately would have classified human trafficking of minors a “major felony,” on par with homicide, rape, or similar felonies that carry life in prison or capital punishment.
On Tuesday, the California Assembly Public Safety Committee defeated the legislation; this action forced a victim to yell out “horrible” while bursting into tears.
Fox News states that no Democrats on the committee in question supported the bill.
Only one Republican congressman — Assemblyman Tom Lackey — voted in favor of the legislation. The GOP deputy chair of the committee, Assemblyman Juan Alanis, was not present in the committee room while the vote was being conducted.
JUST IN: The Assembly Public Safety Committee blocks SB 14, which would have made human trafficking of a minor a serious felony in California.
"HORRIBLE" was yelled at the dais as victim sobs.
The bill had cleared the Senate with bipartisan support. https://t.co/2xIsoV7vhi
— Ashley Zavala (@ZavalaA) July 11, 2023
The report claimed that S.B. 14 was given a second look, implying it might be considered once more by the California Assembly possibly next year.
The initiative had been sponsored by Elizabeth Smart, who was kidnapped at 14 years old. When she was kidnapped, her story made global headlines.
How is this even remotely controversial? This should have sailed through…
— KC-10 Driver ✈️ 👨✈️ B-737 Wrangler (@MCCCANM) July 11, 2023
Smart stated the bill in question ought to be voted into policy immediately and without reluctance on anyone’s part.
She continued to say too many victims of trafficking are afraid of coming forward and standing publicly, due to concerns about the perpetrators’ reactions and the backlash.
Smart stated in support of the bill ahead of Tuesday’s vote that far too frequently, those who have suffered are unable to even get a tiny bit of justice.
No Justice
Smart stated that trafficking is disgusting and brutal – she said fortunately, it is also a crime that many people in the world never have to survive or experience in their lifetimes.
According to her, this bill was just a little step we can take to begin safeguarding our survivors and achieve some small amount of justice.
This article appeared in The Patriot Brief and has been published here with permission.
