Senate Appropriations committee advances AB 379; dozens of other bills moved to suspense

The California Senate Committee on Appropriations on Oct. 26 voted to give Assembly Bill 379 (Schultz) a due‑pass recommendation to the Senate floor, while moving dozens of other measures to the committee’s suspense file without objection.

AB 379: the committee advanced the bill that would increase criminal penalties tied to solicitation of minors and create a survivor support fund. Assemblymember Schultz, an author on the measure, summarized the proposal during the hearing: “AB 379 would authorize felony punishment for the solicitation of any minor by an adult more than 3 years of age than the minor, as well as a misdemeanor treatment for loitering with intent to purchase commercial [sex],” and added that the bill “provides critical new tools for prosecutors, establishes a survivor support fund to aid victims and includes tougher penalties for those who deliberately look the other way on trafficking.”

Supporters included law‑enforcement groups and local officials who said the bill balances prosecution and victim services. Chief Jason Salazar, president of the California Police Chiefs Association, testified in support and urged the committee to advance the bill, saying it “understands this balance built with equal parts targeting enforcement and prosecution alongside funding services for victims.” The Department of Finance reported no file on AB 379 at the time of the hearing.

Opponents — including immigrant‑rights and sex‑worker advocacy organizations and legal service providers — warned of serious immigration and fiscal consequences if AB 379 is enacted in its current form. Anne Block, senior staff attorney at the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, said the ILRC “respectfully opposes AB 379 because the bill would subject more people to traumatic ICE arrest, detention, and deportation,” and argued those immigration impacts would increase state costs for families and services. Other witnesses representing survivor networks, outreach projects and service organizations also expressed opposition or urged amendments focused on avoiding criminalization of victims and reducing collateral harms.

The committee debated fiscal impacts in the hearing record. Department of Finance witnesses were repeatedly called; for many bills the department reported “no file” or neutrality. Testimony on separate bills included a funding example: Louis Brown of the Western Fairs Association said AB 258 would raise the annual allocation for fairs from roughly $4,000,000 to “probably between 10 and 12,000,000” and would not take effect until the 2027–28 fiscal year.

Votes at a glance

- AB 379 (Schultz) — Motion: Due pass to Senate floor; outcome: approved (due pass). Roll call recorded ayes from Caballero, Ciardo, Grayson, Richardson and Wahab. Mover/second not specified in the transcript.

- Remaining measures on the agenda — The committee moved the following bills to the committee’s suspense file without objection (committee waived author presentations and most had Department of Finance “no file” or neutral positions as noted in the hearing record): AB64; AB343; AB352; AB86; AB399; AB258; AB260; AB301 (not taken up today); AB535; AB316; AB618; AB323; AB731; AB338; AB358; AB833; AB422; AB538; AB543; AB630; AB708 (made a two‑year bill); AB763; AB787; AB900; AB803; AB845; AB848; AB859; AB913; AB959; AB996; AB1045; AB1162; AB1376; AB1225; AB1299; AB1309; AB1336; AB1381. (Transcript lists and spacing vary; each bill was announced on the record and moved to suspense without objection.)

Why it matters

The committee action advances AB 379 to the full Senate for further consideration, keeping debate over criminal penalties for solicitation and protections for trafficking survivors active at the state level. Opponents framed the debate around immigration consequences, constitutional overbreadth and unknown fiscal impacts; supporters emphasized prosecutorial tools and a survivor support fund. The suspense file moves pause committee consideration of many other bills until the legislature’s fiscal review process clarifies costs and budget availability.

What’s next

AB 379 will proceed to the Senate floor under the committee’s due‑pass recommendation. Other measures placed on the suspense file may be taken up again when the Appropriations Committee reviews fiscal implications later in the session. The committee adjourned after concluding the day’s agenda.