Senate GOP tries, fails to repeal SB 357 + Senate candidate suspends campaign, seeks treatment

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SENATE REPUBLICANS TRY, FAIL TO REPEAL SB 357

Two years ago following a vigorous debate, California lawmakers passed SB 357, a bill to decriminalize loitering for the purposes of prostitution. The bill was so hotly contested that its author, Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, held on to it for several months before sending it to Gov. Gavin Newsom for a signature.

When Newsom signed the bill in the summer of 2022, he expressed concern that it might be interpreted as a legalization of prostitution, rather than the revocation of provisions that have led to disproportionate harassment of women and transgender adults.

In a statement about the bill, Wiener said that “Many of those impacted by this law are Black and Brown trans women.”

Now, nine months after Newsom signed the bill into law, Senate Republicans are looking for ways to overturn it.

Cue SB 100, a budget bill being voted on by lawmakers Monday.

Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones, R-San Diego, introduced a hostile amendment, or as he called it, “a helpful amendment,” to the bill that would repeal SB 357.

“It’s time as a legislative body that we correct and fix a bill that is wreaking havoc across California,” Jones said.

The Senate Minority Leader repeated claims by police and some anti-human trafficking advocates that the law is used to empower pimps and places sex workers in danger by preventing police from providing outreach to that population.

Wiener said in an email statement: “The Republican caucus is blaming all our problems on a three-month old law that ended blatant police profiling and has no impact on human trafficking enforcement? Sounds like they need some new material.”

The Senate Democratic supermajority shut down the idea, voting 29-8 on a party line vote to table Jones’ amendment and consider SB 100 as is.

Jones later released a statement saying that his Democratic colleagues are “all talk and no action when it comes to protecting women.”

FLETCHER SUSPENDS SENATE CAMPAIGN, ENTERS INPATIENT TREATMENT

San Diego County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher received huge online support as he announced on Twitter Sunday that he is suspending his campaign for State Senate in order to enter an extended inpatient treatment center.

Fletcher, a combat veteran, said he will be treated for post-traumatic stress, childhood trauma and alcohol abuse.

“Outwardly, I have projected calm and composure. Internally, I have been waging a struggle that only those closest to me have seen; the detrimental impact on my relationships, mood, and inability to sleep,” Fletcher said.

Fletcher, whose wife is former Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher (now head of the California Labor Federation), said that he has no doubt that he will make a full recovery.

“However, it is clear I need to focus on my health and my family and do not have the energy to simultaneously pursue a campaign for the State Senate,” Fletcher wrote.

Gonzalez Fletcher tweeted in support of her husband, writing, “I love my husband and appreciate his willingness to put our family first.”

Fletcher’s Twitter thread had more than 150 replies as of Monday afternoon, with the vast majority of them wishing him well as he enters treatment.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“A child was seen weeping in the window of their school bus leaving today’s school shooting…. This doesn’t have to be our normal.”

- Assemblyman Isaac G. Bryan, D-Los Angeles, discussing Monday’s mass shooting at an elementary school in Nashville, via Twitter.

Best of The Bee:

• Gov. Gavin Newsom has successfully pushed a plan to penalize oil companies for alleged gas price gouging through the California Capitol, via Maggie Angst and Lindsey Holden.