Intense scrutiny from fellow California legislators and an enraged citizenry led the state Assembly’s Public Safety Committee to reconsider its decision to reject a proposal that was designed to strengthen penalties for child sex traffickers.
One of the forces behind the effort to overturn the committee’s decision has spoken out about the effects of public comments and bipartisan cooperation.
“I’ve been a Democrat since I was 18, but ... look, this is shameful, my party should be standing with the kids,“ Mr. Harris said. ”My party should be standing with the majority of people that believe this is a serious felony. Some people made it about political arguments and cultural wars.”
When asked for his perspective on why the bill failed to pass the committee on its first hearing, he said partisan politics are to blame.
“The unintended consequences of them doing what I call partisan politicking,” Mr. Harris said. “Their intention was to try to curb [state Sen.] Shannon Grove’s bill because she’s a Republican, and the unintended consequence is you end up protecting ... the criminal that’s hurting more children, because you’re playing partisanship on an issue that is not partisan and not political.”
Highlighting the bipartisan nature of the bill and its swift approval in the Senate, he says the future for California’s children lies in the mutual understanding of the issue between members of both parties.
“In the Senate ... Democrats and Republicans united on this legislation,” he said. “We all know this offense should be serious.”
At issue is Senate Bill 14—which was authored by Ms. Grove (R-Bakersfield) and written to add repeat child sex trafficking offenses to the list of serious felonies under the state’s Three Strikes Law.
While the bill cruised through Senate committees and floor hearing with unanimous, bipartisan approval, the measure encountered resistance when presented to the Assembly Public Safety Committee on July 11, with all Democratic members of the panel stalling the bill by choosing not to vote.
That decision sparked constituents to express outrage and disbelief with the committee; many voiced their displeasure on social media and with messages and phone calls to their representatives.
Gov. Gavin Newsom weighed in on the matter, noting his surprise at the safety committee’s decision. He told reporters on July 12 that he called Ms. Grove and was working to find a path forward for the legislation.
By July 13, competing proposals from Democratic and Republican lawmakers were brought to the Assembly floor, with the latter attempting to bring the issue to the floor for a roll call vote. However, Assemblyman Isaac Bryan (D-Culver City) preempted the plan by bringing a motion to allow the safety committee to reconsider the bill following the adjournment of the day’s floor session.
At a hearing that lasted less than two minutes, no debate or discussion was allowed, and with the exception of Mr. Bryan and Assemblymember Mia Bonta (D-Oakland), all other Democratic members switched their vote to “aye,” thus allowing the bill to advance to the Assembly’s Appropriations Committee for review.
Celebrating the success of the vocal protestors that objected to the safety committee’s dismissal of the bill, Mr. Harris told “California Insider” that Democracy is strengthened by cooperative politics and public participation.
“It shows the power of the people, and it shows the power of bipartisanship when we put partisanship aside and say what’s rational, what’s reasonable,” Mr. Harris said during the 30-minute interview. “This bill is logical, reasonable, and rational.”
Critics of SB 14 suggest that lengthy jail sentences are ineffective and victims could be caught up in the enhanced penalties, as many are forced to participate in illegal trafficking activities by their perpetrators. Others say the bill is narrow enough to target only those that are repeatedly caught trafficking children.
“We’re talking about repeat offenders who continue to traffic and sell our children, and we have to send a message to them that our children are not for sale,” Mr. Harris said. “If you sell our children, you will pay the highest criminal penalties in our state.”
Having lived 12 years in foster care and surviving to become a successful entrepreneur, businessman, political advocate, and public policy expert, he said he brings first-hand knowledge to his understanding of these complex issues.
He credits his success to a spiritual awakening, when advisors and mentors led him to find his passion and fine-tune his skills.
“At 16 years old, I found God,” he said.
A newfound look on life provided him the ability to navigate the pitfalls and temptations that he said were surrounding his environment, including crime, drugs, and gangs.
More than 25 percent of foster children end up homeless, and a disproportionate number of black children are in foster homes, according to the National Foster Youth Initiative.
Children in foster care are most at risk of suffering from human trafficking, with FBI statistics indicating that 60 percent of children in foster care were trafficked at one point in their lives.
“Perpetrators run around telling these children they’re going to pull them out of poverty,” Mr. Harris said. “These are liars. These people are vultures, and they come into communities looking for vulnerable children and teens that they can groom and turn into workers and prostitutes.”
Tactics used to coerce young minds—often targeted because they lack the resources, support from family, and confidence to resist—into sex trafficking schemes include sexual, emotional, and physical abuse, with threats overlayed to force submission, he said.
“We need a state that will stand up to these perpetrators,” Mr. Harris said. “This is not about criminal justice reform.”
Radiating optimism and political awareness, he remains dedicated to protecting children and supporting SB 14 as it winds its way through the Legislature.
“I’m taking every bit of pain that I went through and turning it into purpose,” Mr. Harris said. “I want to make sure that no other child in our country faces the odds that I faced.”
