Governor Newsom signs executive order strengthening statewide sex trafficking prevention and response
Building community for survivors
After the roundtable, First Partner Siebel Newsom joined survivors and community members at City of Refuge as part of her California Love, California Strong initiative. A longtime advocate for the health, wealth, and safety of girls and women, Siebel Newsom recognizes the importance of connecting with community to build trust and a sense of belonging.
“Belonging is a powerful part of healing. Every day, we see how connection, trust, and community help survivors rediscover hope and begin to rebuild their lives. City of Refuge is honored to partner with the state in creating a more coordinated, survivor-centered response to sex trafficking,” said City of Refuge Co-Founder Rachelle Ditmore
Launched earlier this year, California Love, California Strong brings together Californians to build community and resilience amidst the fight against loneliness and isolation.
California’s commitment to prevention, safety, and support
Today’s executive order builds on California’s ongoing investments in public safety and actions to combat trafficking and support survivors. Since 2019, California has invested $2.1 billion to fight crime, support local law enforcement, and improve public safety statewide. California continues to make meaningful progress in improving public safety, with every major statewide crime rate declining in 2025. To expand on these efforts, since 2019, California has committed more than $546.8 million for victim services, including over $100 million for Human Trafficking Victim Assistance.
Governor Newsom’s 2026-27 state budget, in partnership with the Legislature, includes $10 million for the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) to administer a competitive Vertical Prosecution Grant Program aimed at preventing human trafficking. Vertical prosecution, where a single prosecutor handles the case from beginning to end, is often favored for cases involving particularly sensitive crimes, like human trafficking, because that prosecutor can become more knowledgeable about the details of the case, develop a comprehensive legal strategy for the matter, and establish rapport with survivors. The 2026-27 state budget also includes a $10 million increase for Cal OES to expand its Victims of Human Trafficking Grant Program, bringing the program to a total of $20 million to provide services for survivors of human trafficking.
California’s 2025-26 state budget also provided $10 million for Family Justice Centers statewide — providing legal resources for victims of human trafficking, domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, elder abuse, and other forms of violence. Additionally, the 2025-26 state budget included $5 million in ongoing funding to the California Highway Patrol for their computer crimes investigation unit to combat human trafficking and child sexual exploitation crimes. Meanwhile, the budget also invested $7 million in ongoing funding to Cal OES to investigate internet crimes against children, including human trafficking.
In August 2025, Governor Newsom signed AB 379 into law, which cracks down on adults who solicit 16- to 17-year-olds, making it a felony. In September 2024, the Governor signed four bills that help victims of human trafficking and domestic violence get help in emergency rooms, increase penalties for soliciting minors, train law enforcement personnel to interact with survivors of human trafficking, and create new tools to address labor trafficking. And in September 2023, Governor Newsom signed legislation to increase penalties for human trafficking of minors in California.
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