Senate Republican Leader Scott Wilk, R-Santa Clarita, delivered a letter to the governor Tuesday urging him to veto Senate Bill, 357, (SB 357) a “soft-on-crime” measure advocated by California Democrats that would reportedly hurt California’s ability to combat human trafficking. 

SB 357 authored by Senator Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, would remove a tool frequently used by law enforcement to identify victims of sex trafficking by legalizing loitering with the intent to engage in prostitution, as well as let individuals off the hook who are directing those intending to engage in prostitution, according to a statement from Wilk. 

The measure is opposed by multiple law enforcement and victims groups, including the Peace Officers Research Association of California (PORAC) and the Bay Area Anti-Trafficking Coalition.   

“Instead of giving law enforcement more tools to combat human trafficking, California Democrats voted to remove tools from the shed,” Wilk said. “We are urging the governor to prioritize helping the victims of this horrible crime, not criminals in California.”  Multiple law enforcement groups, including the Democrat California Attorney General Rob Bonta acknowledge the need for a multi-pronged approach to fighting human trafficking. 

Perpetrators have become more sophisticated and organized, therefore “requiring an equally sophisticated response from law enforcement,” Bonta said on his website.   

Current law is used “to target sex buyers who seek to exploit,” and a repeal of the law would “take a major tool away from law enforcement” when it comes to combatting this issue, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. 

This bill would further hinder law enforcement efforts to not only identify and prosecute those who commit crimes related to prostitution and human trafficking but also hinder the ability to identify those being victimized, according to the PORAC. 

Senate Republicans strongly urge Californians to voice opposition by calling Governor Newsom at (916) 445-2841 to veto SB 357. 

SB 357 was passed at the end of session in 2021, but after Senate Republican efforts to halt it drew negative attention to the bill, the author chose to hold off on sending it to the governor until now, accoridng to Wilk.

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