California Democrats Divided on Child Sex Crime Penalties | JQJO

California Republicans are strategically leveraging child sex crime bills to highlight divisions within the Democratic supermajority. Their tactic involves proposing stricter penalties, forcing Democrats to defend their stances on criminal justice reform. While a recent Republican-backed bill to increase penalties for soliciting 16- and 17-year-olds failed, it exposed fault lines within the Democratic party and garnered some bipartisan support. Governor Newsom unusually intervened, supporting tougher penalties, while Democrats expressed concerns about unintended consequences for consensual teen relationships. The debate continues, with Democrats promising future action.