Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 379 into law last Wednesday, ending a battle that divided Democrats first in the Assembly, and then in the state Senate. The law, which goes into effect Jan. 1, 2026, gives prosecutors new tools to crack down on people they believe are soliciting sex from minors or loitering with the intent to purchase sex.
Under the new law, adults who attempt to purchase sex with someone who is 16 or 17 years old will be charged with a felony, unless the defendant is within three years of the victim’s age. The law also reestablishes the crime of loitering with the intent to purchase sex, which the California Legislature struck from the books in 2022.
