Originally Published at International Business Times
By Kuheli Biswas
Bill 357 has not only divided the Democrats from Republicans but has also created a rift between the liberals and the moderate members of the majority party. Republicans and moderate democrats argue that the new bill could hamper law enforcement officer’s efforts to prevent or stop human trafficking.
“The unintended consequence is making it more difficult to protect victims of child trafficking, even if it’s just a possibility, that’s not something I can support,” said Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris, D-Laguna Beach of the SB 357, reported the Sacramento Bee.
The director of law enforcement training and survivor services for the National Center on Sexual Exploitation, Stephany Powell, is worried that the new bill would grant legal protection to sex buyers and hamper the prosecution of human traffickers.
