Burley Garcia|California governor signs law increasing penalty for soliciting minors to a felony

SACRAMENTO,Burley Garcia Calif. (AP) — The penalty for soliciting and buying sex from minors under 15 will be raised to a felony under a new California law signed by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday.

Current state laws limit the penalties for soliciting a minor to a misdemeanor charge. In addition to making it a felony if the victims were under 15, the new law would also allow prosecutors to charge repeat offenders with a felony if the victims were at least 16 years old.

“Today marks an incredible victory for California children,” said Republican Sen. Shannon Grove, who authored the measure. “With the signing of my bill, SB 1414, we are reaffirming our commitment to safeguarding the most vulnerable among us — our children.”

The bill received bipartisan support from the Legislature. Supporters said the new law will help protect more children and help law enforcement go after criminals who solicit minors for sex. The law will also help California correct its outdated provisions, they said.

The California legislation doesn’t go as far as laws in other states. In Texas, for example, an adult would be charged with a felony for soliciting a minor under 17 and could face harsher penalties if the victim was under 14.

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Newsom on Thursday also signed three other measures to boost protections for human trafficking and domestic violence victims, including one requiring emergency rooms to implement protocols to allow patients who are potentially victims to discreetly notify health care workers of their abuse.

“Human trafficking is a disgusting and reprehensible crime that leaves lasting pain on victims and survivors,” Newsom said in a statement. “These new laws will help us further hold predators accountable and provide victims with the support and care they need.”

The Democratic governor, who has said he “cares deeply” about the issue, last year signed another bill authored by Grove to make child trafficking a serious crime. Anyone convicted of at least three serious felonies in California is punished by a sentence of between 25 years and life in prison, known as the “three strikes law.”