One of California's most conservative Republicans has won an unusual victory for the second year in a row by convincing Democrats to embrace a tougher approach to protecting children from sex trafficking.
Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday opposed mandatory child vaccinations and a high-profile bill by state Sen. Shannon Grove, R-Bakersfield, who once suggested God caused droughts. signed. invoice Senate Bill 1414 Soliciting a minor under the age of 15 into prostitution is a felony.
Although the bill signed by Newsom makes relatively narrow changes to the law, it is a success because Democrats hold a supermajority in Sacramento and have traditionally resisted Republican pressure on criminal justice issues. is unusual. Even more surprising, Mr. Grove's victory came in a year of high stakes.
“I think she exposed the dark side of Democrats being weak on crime and basically embarrassed them and forced them to pass the bill,” said Democratic political consultant Stephen Mabilio. “She touched all the right buttons… She learned that she could accomplish some of the things she was passionate about.”
Mr. Grove also authored legislation and Senate Bill 1043 to create a public database to disclose the use of seclusion and movement restrictions for minors held in residential treatment facilities. The bill has passed both houses of the California Legislature and is before the governor.
Mr. Grove's conservative background speaks for itself. She is a self-described “gun-toting, loquacious, spirit-filled believer” and Army veteran who has tweeted posts claiming former President Trump won the 2020 election. She has opposed expanding medical insurance for illegal immigrants and has opposed mandatory vaccinations for school children. Environmental and abortion rights groups rate her voting record in Congress as failing, while the National Rifle Association rates her voting record as failing. She gives her an A.
Grove's bill is not the only bill Republicans have introduced to the governor this year. But Democrats typically don't advance public safety legislation enacted by Republicans, and bills rarely get as much attention as the one he introduced. Congressional Republicans introduced 16 public safety bills to the governor, but the majority received little attention. Senate Republicans have introduced only three public safety bills, including Grove's sex trafficking bill. Another is equally punitive and will be applied if signed. felony Raping an unconscious person was added to the list of violent felonies, but it did not cause much public uproar. The bill's author recently left the Democratic Party and will become a Republican this year, halfway through the legislative session.
“We need to understand what success means. The bar for signing the bill is very low,” said Mike Madrid, a Republican political strategist. “This lawmaker is not one that would be considered a modern-day lawmaker or has much influence in the legislative process. I think it's great that she passed this common-sense bill. This is a testament to her legislative ability. Do you think it's a sign? Not at all.
Mr. Grove proved that with two bills. One would add tougher penalties for sellers of child prostitution starting in 2023, and the other would add penalties for buyers of child prostitution this year. Last year, Assembly Democrats, under different leadership, rejected Senate Bill 14, which would have added sex trafficking of minors to the list of “felony crimes” in California's criminal code, sparking bipartisan outrage. After Gov. Gavin Newsom publicly scrutinized the decision, lawmakers reversed course. In his signature message, Newsom called child trafficking a 'vicious' crime.
Mr. Grove used his cunning ability to cast celebrity hotel heiress Paris Hilton as the face of Senate Bill 1043. The bill the governor is considering would require the state to publish online data on incidents of abuse and the use of seclusion in teen treatment. Facilities for young people. Hilton, who endured abuse as a teenager while incarcerated at a youth education and treatment facility, traveled to Sacramento in April to testify in support.
Maviglio called the celebrity support for Grove's bill “effective.” “Do what it takes to do the right thing.”
