BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                                                                  AB 2424
                                                                  Page  1


          ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
          AB 2424 (Campos)
          As Introduced  February 21, 2014
          Majority vote 

           PUBLIC SAFETY       7-0                                         
           
           -------------------------------- 
          |Ayes:|Ammiano, Melendez,        |
          |     |Jones-Sawyer, Quirk,      |
          |     |Skinner, Stone, Waldron   |
          |     |                          |
           -------------------------------- 
           SUMMARY  :  Increases the maximum fine for abduction or  
          procurement by fraudulent inducement for prostitution from  
          $2,000 to $10,000.  

           EXISTING LAW  :  
           
           1)Provides every person who, within this state, takes any person  
            against his or her will and without his or her consent, or  
            with his or her consent procured by fraudulent inducement or  
            misrepresentation, for the purpose of prostitution, as  
            defined, is punishable by imprisonment in the state prison for  
            16 months, two, or three years, and a fine not exceeding  
            $2,000.
           
           2)Specifies that it is misdemeanor disorderly conduct when any  
            person who solicits or who agrees to engage in or who engages  
            in any act of prostitution.  A person agrees to engage in an  
            act of prostitution when, with specific intent to so engage,  
            he or she manifests an acceptance of an offer or solicitation  
            to so engage, regardless of whether the offer or solicitation  
            was made by a person who also possessed the specific intent to  
            engage in prostitution.  No agreement to engage in an act of  
            prostitution shall constitute a violation of this subdivision  
            unless some act, in addition to the agreement, is done within  
            this state in furtherance of the commission of an act of  
            prostitution by the person agreeing to engage in that act.  As  
            used in this subdivision, "prostitution" includes any lewd act  
            between persons for money or other consideration.
           
           3)States that a person is guilty of disorderly conduct, a  
            misdemeanor, when a person solicits or agrees to engage in or  








                                                                  AB 2424
                                                                  Page  2


            engages in any act of prostitution, as defined.  No agreement  
            to engage in an act of prostitution constitute a violation of  
            this subdivision unless some act, in addition to the  
            agreement, is done within this state in furtherance of the  
            commission of an act of prostitution by the person agreeing to  
            engage in that act.
           
           4)Requires in any accusatory pleading charging a defendant with  
            solicitation or prostitution, as specified, if the defendant  
            has been once previously convicted of a violation those  
            provisions, the previous conviction shall be charged in the  
            accusatory pleading.
           
           5)Provides the following penalties if the defendant has  
            previously been convicted of solicitation or prostitution:
           
              a)   If it is proven that the defendant has one previous  
               conviction, the defendant shall be imprisoned in a county  
               jail for a period of not less than 45 days; or
              
              b)   If it is proven that the defendant has two or more of  
               these previous convictions, the defendant shall be  
               imprisoned in a county jail for a period of not less than  
               90 days.  
          FISCAL EFFECT  :  Unknown.  This bill is keyed non-fiscal by the  
          Legislative Counsel.

           COMMENTS  :  According to the author, "AB 2424 increases the  
          maximum penalty for forced prostitution from $2,000 to $10,000.   
          It's been 30 years since the Legislature established the $2,000  
          fine for forcing someone into prostitution. 

          "Since then, we have added a fine of $10,000 for stealing a car,  
          defrauding the state of printing materials, dumping pollution  
          into a river and vandalizing property with graffiti.

          "However, this has not been the case with forced prostitution.   
          The current penalty of $2,000 is nothing in comparison to the  
          terrible and profitable nature of forced prostitution.  It is a  
          crime that has repercussions which far exceed that of stealing a  
          car or other similar crimes.  

          "It is time that we create a stronger penalty for this awful  
          crime.  The reality is that prostitution has changed since the  








                                                                  AB 2424
                                                                  Page  3


          1980s because of the shocking rise in human trafficking.  The  
          internet, social media and international trade have made it  
          easier to kidnap, sell and force people into the sex trade.   
          Given this tragic explosion of human trafficking, this penalty  
          is long overdue to be updated." 

          Please see the policy committee analysis for a full discussion  
          of this bill.
           

          Analysis Prepared by  :    Gabriel Caswell / PUB. S. / (916)  
          319-3744 


                                                                FN: 0003315