Click HERE to listen to Senator Strickland’s opening remarks on SB 1027.
Senator Tony Strickland (R-Huntington Beach) today announced that his legislation, Senate Bill 1027, establishing the California Street Prostitution Task Force, has passed out of the Senate Public Safety Committee with strong bipartisan support. The Orange County Sheriff’s Department is the sponsor of SB 1027.
“As we all know, the laws around street prostitution have been in flux the past few years,” said Senator Strickland. “But one thing has not changed: the damage street prostitution causes to victims and to the communities around them. Communities across the state have reported increased visibility of street prostitution, broader impacts on neighborhoods and quality of life, and growing challenges in identifying victims and connecting them to services and support.”
Senate Democrats on the Senate Public Safety Committee gave their stamp of approval in support of SB 1027.
“This is a very important issue in my district. I live and represent the City of Oakland. We have our own blade along International Boulevard, where issues of human trafficking are serious problems. And I think the outcome of this task force can result in some good recommendations, not just on changes to the law, but also resources to help support those people that have been victimized. Thank you, Senator, for bringing this forward,” said Senator Jesse Arreguín (D-Oakland), Chair of the Senate Public Safety Committee.
“I think creating a task force allows us to strategize together, bringing all partners to the table so that we can come up with a common solution because we have one common goal, which is to protect people at the end of the day and ensure public safety,” said Democrat Senator Sasha Renée Pérez (D-Pasadena).
SB 1027 would take a community-focused, data-driven approach by creating a statewide task force that would bring together victim service providers, human trafficking survivors, public health and social service agencies, community organizations, and law enforcement and legal professionals. SB 1027 would direct the task force to examine how victims are currently being identified and supported, evaluate existing services, review existing data and research to understand trends and impacts, and ultimately, develop recommendations and best practices to better protect and support victims and communities.
Testifying in support of the critical legislation included Sergeant Christina Strunk with the Human Trafficking Unit for the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, who has spent seven years seeing the realities of human trafficking, and Hannah Shin-Heydorn, the City of Stanton City Manager.
“Residents in Stanton are trying to be compassionate, but they also feel unheard. They are asking for safe, stable neighborhoods where families and businesses can function without fear or constant disruption,” said Shin-Heydorn.
The National Human Trafficking Hotline reported over 1,700 trafficking cases in California in 2024 alone.
“In Orange County, since 2021, I have seen a noticeable increase in street-level prostitution along Beach Boulevard in the Cities of Stanton and Anaheim. Policy changes such as SB 357, have impacted law enforcement’s ability to proactively contact victims, creating challenges in intervention and enforcement,” said Sergeant Strunk.
“The cornerstone of my legislation brings everyone into one coordinated effort, allowing us to align services with real-world needs, ensuring policies are informed by both data and lived experience, and it helps create effective, best practice approaches instead of inconsistent, fragmented responses,” concluded Senator Strickland.