Bill combating child sex-trafficking going to governor’s desk: Central Valley advocate weighs in

FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – A Central Valley lawmaker and advocate weighed in on child sex-trafficking bill AB 379.

The legislation will make it a felony to buy sex from 16 and 17-year-olds for adults who are at least three years older than the victims.

It also classifies loitering with the intent to purchase sex as a crime. 

Debra Rush, the Founder of the nonprofit organization Breaking the Chains, lost her own daughter to human trafficking. 

“I was absolutely elated when I found out that AB 379 was going to the Governor’s desk. This is going to make such an extraordinary impact on our ability to be able to combat human trafficking, not only here in the Central San Joaquin Valley, but throughout the state of California, and more importantly, provide those critical resources to victims who are being impacted by human trafficking,” she said. 

Rush also believes the bill will reduce the amount of children on Fresno streets by holding adults who purchase them accountable.

“Without demand. There’ll be no need for supply,” Rush explained. “We have to understand that fundamentally, California continues to be one of the most lucrative states for human trafficking. So, it makes sense that this is a place where it would thrive when we have laws that do not protect not only the victims, but the entire aspect of what is happening.”

Rush is especially relieved because the bill targets loiterers. 

She said, “In 2022, when SB 357 passed and it removed loitering for the purpose of prostitution, Breaking the Chains along with local law enforcement, seen an immediate increase in street level prostitution, which most often actually targets are youth and minors, because they can go right out to the streets of Fresno and other communities and be solicited by local traffickers. We are really excited because we want to see that decline.”

Rush says seeing both sides of the aisle come together on this issue was encouraging.

“To see that our local politicians and statewide politicians were able to put up aside all the different politics of today and really make our children’s safety their priority is something we not only applaud, we hope to see more of in the future,” she said. 

Senator Shannon Grove believes the bill will give law enforcement more tools to fight the issue and decrease the amount of trafficking happening in the valley.

“It was just overwhelming emotionally. I think as I read off survivor’s names that have been with this for this long process,” she explained. “I really do think that it’ll reduce demand, because if you think that you’re going to get arrested or you’re going to have $1,000 fine, you might think twice about hanging around some area to offer somebody money for the intent to purchase them for sex.”

The Republican lawmaker says it’s been a rocky road for this legislation, but Monday’s vote was an important step forward.

“We set out to make human trafficking of a person selling a person for sex a serious felony in the state of California, because it wasn’t. We took amendments to focus on minors in order to keep the bill moving forward. And so, we got that signed by the governor, but only after a rollercoaster of obstacles and killing the bill and bringing it back to life. Like some of my colleagues wouldn’t even consider selling children for sex as a serious felony. And then our survivor coalition was like, you know, you got to go after the buyers,” she said. 

Grove says she’ll continue the fight against human trafficking. 

“I’m just so elated that, you know, after all this time, we were able to finally protect all children in the state of California,” she said. “I am on my last a year, next year in 2026, and we are going to work really hard to do everything we can to protect children and all individuals from this horrific crime.”