Democratic Party lawmakers in California’s Capitol passed a law that Gov. Gavin Newsom knew could have “unintended consequences,” yet he signed it anyway. As predicted, the new policy empowered pimps and hindered efforts to address human trafficking operations.
In January, Senate Bill 357 by state Sen. Scott Wiener changed state law to allow loitering for the purpose of engaging in prostitution. Before this new law, officers could better help combat human trafficking as they were able to question loiterers on the street, crack down on the crime, and help victims escape sex trafficking rings. We can see Wiener’s intentions behind the law because no one wants to see violence toward sex workers or discrimination against the LGBTQ community and people of color. However, it was obvious at the time the law would make things worse for victims of sex trafficking and have consequences for all communities.
Don’t just take our word for it as Republicans. Since SB 357 took effect this year, communities across the state have expressed concern and frustration. A local television station released a video showing sex workers soliciting outside a Catholic school in East Oakland. Concerned parents said this was a regular occurrence outside of the school: “It’s every day, during all periods of the day.”
Former Democratic lawmaker and now-Sacramento County Sheriff Jim Cooper opposed SB 357 and points to the problematic law as a reason for increased human trafficking operations. “The laws they have passed have enabled the pimps and traffickers to do their business unimpeded,” Cooper said.
In Southern California, San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan and National City police Chief Jose Tellez said traffickers have become more brazen since the passage of SB 357. “Before this law was repealed, an officer patrolling the streets could see this happening and actually ask that individual questions,” Tellez said.
As far back as 2021, California Republican lawmakers warned Democrats of the dangers this bill presented to public safety and trafficking victims. Lawmakers from both parties voted against the measure, but it narrowly passed out of the Legislature. Afterward, Republican lawmakers urged the governor to veto it, warning again that SB 357 would have harmful consequences.
In only a few months, this disastrous law has wreaked havoc on public safety in our communities. To fix it, California Senate Republicans introduced an amendment to overturn SB 357, but disappointingly, Senate Democrat leadership refused to even hear the proposal.
The governor and author of the bill knew there were problems with the legislation when it passed in September 2021. In a rare maneuver, the legislation was held for more than nine months before it was signed into law, presumably to avoid controversy and quietly allow the new policy to go into effect.
When the governor finally signed the controversial bill in June 2022, he issued a written statement saying, “My Administration will monitor crime and prosecution trends for any possible unintended consequences and will act to mitigate any such impacts.”
California Senate Republicans recently asked the governor how his administration is fulfilling its commitment to monitor these “unintended consequences” and to make public any information collected during that monitoring. The governor has yet to reply.
Need more proof of these “unintended consequences,” as the governor calls them? San Francisco officials had to place barricades on Mission Street because of increased sex work and trafficking this year. An aide for a county supervisor went on a ride-along with police and described the scene: “It was shocking. It was something we have never seen before. That intensity, that much, that many sex workers, pimps standing there.”
Opposition against this bad law continues to mount and transcend political parties — it’s about people and safety, not politics. SB 357 emboldens pimps to exploit people because there is no longer enforcement on loitering, giving pimps power to recruit new victims and control those already in the industry.
More than 1,500 human trafficking cases were reported in California in 2019, far more than any other state. The majority of these cases were sex trafficking, and the majority of victims were women. SB 357 has put these victims at even greater risk by removing a tool law enforcement considered crucial to helping them.
The issue has escalated so precipitously that we’ve co-authored Senate Bill 14, which defines sex trafficking of a minor as a serious felony, to hold traffickers accountable, send a strong message that this crime will not be tolerated, and protect victims from these evil people. SB 14 is moving through the Senate with strong bipartisan support, and we are calling on our Democratic colleagues to work with us in the same manner and fix SB 357.
Instead of empowering pimps, the governor and Democratic legislators need to act immediately and reverse the very real “unintended consequences” of SB 357. And they need to do it now before the situation gets even worse.
Sen. Brian W. Jones represents California’s 40th Senate District, which includes the Cities of Escondido, Poway, San Marcos, Santee, San Diego City communities of Carmel Mountain Ranch, Mira Mesa, Rancho Bernardo, Rancho Peñasquitos, Scripps Ranch, Sorrento Valley, and University City, along with the San Diego County unincorporated communities of 4S Ranch, Alpine, Bonsall, Fallbrook, Lakeside, Pine Valley, Rainbow, Ramona, and Valley Center.
Sen. Janet Nguyen represents California Senate District 36, which covers Huntington Beach, Garden Grove, Newport Beach, Corona Del Mar, Westminster, San Clemente, Capistrano Beach, Fountain Valley, Buena Park, Dana Point, Seal Beach, Surfside, Laguna Beach, Stanton, La Palma, Los Alamitos, Cerritos, Artesia and Hawaiian Gardens and unincorporated cities of Midway City and Rossmoor.
