Four significant bills authored by State Senator Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield), including two focused on protecting children and teens, are on their way to the California Assembly floor after receiving approval from the Assembly Appropriations Committee on August 16, 2024.
These pieces of legislation will be voted on in the upcoming Assembly session, and if passed, will be sent to Governor Gavin Newsom for his signature.
All four bills passed unanimously in the Senate and received unanimous “do pass” recommendations in every Assembly committee where they were reviewed.
SB 1414
SB 1414 aims to increase penalties for the solicitation of minors. Under this bill, individuals who purchase any child aged 15 or younger for sex would face felony charges.
Grove emphasized, “Once signed, predators who purchase any child ages 15 and below for sex would be charged with a felony. I will not stop fighting until all of California’s children are equally protected, but I am thankful we are stepping in the right direction.” Amendments made in the Senate Public Safety Committee adjusted the bill to classify offenses against 16- and 17-year-olds as misdemeanors.
SB 1043
SB 1043, also known as the Accountability in Children’s Treatment (ACT) measure, targets the “troubled teen industry” by mandating the California Department of Social Services to investigate incidents involving the use of seclusion or behavioral restraints in facilities operating short-term therapeutic programs.
The bill requires these programs to publish data on their websites regarding the use of these practices. Celebrity advocate Paris Hilton has voiced her support for the bill, stating, “This legislation is a crucial step toward ensuring that no child has to experience what I went through. I am deeply committed to this cause, and I am honored to support Sen. Grove in this fight to protect our most vulnerable children.”
SB 974
Two additional bills focus on sectors crucial to Kern County’s economy. SB 974 revises the distribution of revenue from the Lithium Extraction Excise Tax Fund, ensuring that all excise tax funds collected from a county are returned to that county.
Grove noted, “This bill will ensure funding from lithium production in Kern County would support community needs. I stand with Kern County’s energy industry, which supports our hardworking residents, this beautiful state, and our nation.”
SB 1270
SB 1270 seeks to increase licensing and complaint fees collected by the California Department of Food and Agriculture Market Enforcement Branch. The revenue generated from these fees supports the licensing of producers, handlers, and processors of agricultural products while enforcing protections against unfair business practices.
Grove stated, “The Market Enforcement Branch provides farmers a way to verify contract issues without going through the costly and cumbersome lawsuit process. It is supported by the agriculture industry and protects more than $40 billion in California agricultural commodities.”
Grove’s bills are part of a larger effort by Senate Republicans to advance legislative priorities, which Republican Caucus Chair Kelly Seyarto (R-Murrieta) described as a “historically successful” push. “These are meaningful victories,” Seyarto commented. “These bills deliver long-overdue justice, essential support to those in need, protection for the vulnerable, transparency, and assistance to our veterans.”
Last month, Governor Newsom signed Grove’s SB 1172, which extends sunset dates for voluntary contribution options on personal income tax returns for the California Breast Cancer Research Fund and the California Cancer Research Fund.
Additionally, SB 1063, which requires public and private schools for grades 7-12 to print a website or QR code linking to local mental health agencies on student ID cards, passed unanimously in the Assembly and is now headed to the governor’s desk.
