John --

Just when you thought California politics couldn’t get any more out of touch — we’ve hit a new low.

Last week, I proudly led the effort to pass a Board Letter supporting AB 379, the Survivor Support and Demand Reduction Act. We formally urged state lawmakers to take action — to protect children, punish predators, and provide real support for survivors of human trafficking.

Let me be clear:
Under current California law, a predator who buys sex from a 16- or 17-year-old can get off with just a misdemeanor. That’s not justice. That’s a failure.

AB 379 fixes this. It would:

✅ Make it a felony to buy sex from anyone under 18

✅ Create a Survivor Support Fund, paid by offenders, to provide housing, counseling, and recovery services

✅ Reverse dangerous loopholes that have protected traffickers and hurt victims

But now, California lawmakers have blocked the bill. Instead of moving it forward, they’ve delayed it until the fall.

Let me be blunt: this is horrific. There is no gray area here. Children are being exploited — and Sacramento just chose politics over protection.

This is not a partisan issue. Our kids are not for sale.
San Diego is a known trafficking hotspot. The average age a girl is trafficked here? Just 16 years old.

We need to treat exploited minors like the victims they are — not punish them or protect the people who prey on them.

I won’t stop fighting for this bill. But I need you with me.
Call it out. Share this. Demand action.

For our children,

San Diego County District 5 Supervisor Jim Desmond
https://www.supervisorjimdesmond.com/