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<ns0:Id>20250AB__131798AMD</ns0:Id>
<ns0:VersionNum>98</ns0:VersionNum>
<ns0:History>
<ns0:Action>
<ns0:ActionText>INTRODUCED</ns0:ActionText>
<ns0:ActionDate>2025-02-21</ns0:ActionDate>
</ns0:Action>
<ns0:Action>
<ns0:ActionText>AMENDED_ASSEMBLY</ns0:ActionText>
<ns0:ActionDate>2025-03-24</ns0:ActionDate>
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<ns0:LegislativeInfo>
<ns0:SessionYear>2025</ns0:SessionYear>
<ns0:SessionNum>0</ns0:SessionNum>
<ns0:MeasureType>AB</ns0:MeasureType>
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<ns0:AuthorText authorType="LEAD_AUTHOR">Introduced by Assembly Member Nguyen</ns0:AuthorText>
<ns0:Authors>
<ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Contribution>LEAD_AUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
<ns0:House>ASSEMBLY</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Nguyen</ns0:Name>
</ns0:Legislator>
</ns0:Authors>
<ns0:Title> An act to amend Sections 236.7, 236.8, 236.10, and 236.11 of the Penal Code, relating to crime. </ns0:Title>
<ns0:RelatingClause>crime</ns0:RelatingClause>
<ns0:GeneralSubject>
<ns0:Subject>Asset forfeiture: human trafficking.</ns0:Subject>
</ns0:GeneralSubject>
<ns0:DigestText>
<html:p>Existing law makes it a felony, generally known as human trafficking, to deprive or violate the personal liberty of another with the intent to effect or maintain a felony violation of, among other crimes, pimping, pandering, or abducting a minor for the purpose of prostitution.</html:p>
<html:p>Existing law authorizes the forfeiture of vehicles, boats, airplanes, money, negotiable instruments, securities, real property, or other things of value used for the purpose of facilitating the human trafficking of a victim under 18 years of age for purposes of a commercial sex act and property acquired
through, or that was received in exchange for the proceeds of, that crime.</html:p>
<html:p> Existing law establishes a procedure for a prosecutor to petition for forfeiture of an interest in these items that includes appointment of a receiver to take possession of and manage any property.</html:p>
<html:p>This bill would make the above-described provisions authorizing forfeiture of property and the procedure for effecting it applicable to all offenses of human trafficking involving a commercial sex act, regardless of the age of the victim.</html:p>
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<ns0:DigestKey>
<ns0:VoteRequired>MAJORITY</ns0:VoteRequired>
<ns0:Appropriation>NO</ns0:Appropriation>
<ns0:FiscalCommittee>YES</ns0:FiscalCommittee>
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<ns0:ImmediateEffect>NO</ns0:ImmediateEffect>
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<ns0:Urgency>NO</ns0:Urgency>
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<ns0:Bill id="bill">
<ns0:Preamble>The people of the State of California do enact as follows:</ns0:Preamble>
<ns0:BillSection id="id_F1BECF8E-1F93-45EC-856C-8087C46AEACC">
<ns0:Num>SECTION 1.</ns0:Num>
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Section 236.7 of the
<ns0:DocName>Penal Code</ns0:DocName>
is amended to read:
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<ns0:Num>236.7.</ns0:Num>
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<ns0:Content>
<html:p>
(a)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Any interest in a vehicle, boat, airplane, money, negotiable instruments, securities, real property, or other thing of value that was put to substantial use for the purpose of facilitating the crime of human trafficking that involves a commercial sex act, as defined in Section 236.1, may be seized and ordered forfeited by the court upon the conviction of a person guilty of human trafficking that involves a commercial sex
act,
pursuant to Section 236.1.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(b)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
In any case in which a defendant is convicted of human trafficking pursuant to Section 236.1 and an allegation is found to be true that the crime involved a commercial sex act, as defined in Section 236.1, the following assets shall be subject to forfeiture upon proof of the provisions of subdivision (d) of Section 236.9:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(1)
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Any property interest, whether tangible or intangible, acquired through human trafficking that involves a commercial sex
act.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
All proceeds from human trafficking that involves a commercial sex act, which property shall include all things of value that may have been received in exchange for the proceeds immediately derived from the act.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(c)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
If a prosecuting agency petitions for forfeiture of an interest under subdivision (a) or (b), the process prescribed in Sections 236.8 to 236.12, inclusive, shall apply, but no local or state prosecuting agency shall be required to petition for forfeiture in any case.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(d)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Real property that is used as a family residence or for other lawful purposes, or that is owned by two or more persons, one of whom had no knowledge of its unlawful use, shall not be subject to forfeiture.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(e)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
An interest in a vehicle that may be lawfully driven with a class C, class M1, or class M2 license, as prescribed in Section 12804.9 of the Vehicle Code, may not be forfeited under this section if there is a community property interest in the vehicle by a person other than the defendant and the vehicle is the sole vehicle of this type available to the defendant’s immediate family.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(f)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Real property subject to forfeiture may not be seized, absent exigent circumstances, without notice to the interested parties and a hearing to determine that seizure is necessary to preserve the property pending the outcome of the proceedings. At the hearing, the prosecution
shall bear the burden of establishing that probable cause exists for the forfeiture of the property and that seizure is necessary to preserve the property pending the outcome of the forfeiture proceedings. The court may issue a seizure order pursuant to this section if it finds that seizure is warranted or a pendente lite order pursuant to Section 236.10 if it finds that the status quo or value of the property can be preserved without seizure.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(g)
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For purposes of this section, no allegation or proof of a pattern of criminal profiteering activity is required.
</html:p>
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<ns0:Num>SEC. 2.</ns0:Num>
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Section 236.8 of the
<ns0:DocName>Penal Code</ns0:DocName>
is amended to read:
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<ns0:LawSection id="id_C6787483-BCA2-44B0-BF7E-30D58E00F3B5">
<ns0:Num>236.8.</ns0:Num>
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<ns0:Content>
<html:p>
(a)
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If the prosecuting agency, in conjunction with the criminal proceeding, files a petition of forfeiture with the superior court of the county in which the defendant has been charged with human trafficking that involves a commercial sex act, as defined in Section 236.1, the prosecuting agency shall make service of process of a notice regarding that petition upon every individual who may have a property interest in the alleged proceeds or instruments. The notice shall state that any interested
party may file a verified claim with the superior court stating the amount of their claimed interest and an affirmation or denial of the prosecuting agency’s allegation. If the notice cannot be given by registered mail or personal delivery, the notice shall be published for at least three successive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the county where the property is located. If the property alleged to be subject to forfeiture is real property, the prosecuting agency shall, at the time of filing the petition of forfeiture, record a lis pendens with the county recorder in each county in which the real property is situated that specifically identifies the real property alleged to be subject to forfeiture. The judgment of forfeiture shall not affect the interest in real property of a third party that was acquired prior to the recording of the lis pendens.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(b)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
All notices shall set forth the time within which a claim of interest in the
property seized is required to be filed pursuant to Section 236.9.
</html:p>
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<ns0:Num>SEC. 3.</ns0:Num>
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Section 236.10 of the
<ns0:DocName>Penal Code</ns0:DocName>
is amended to read:
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<ns0:LawSection id="id_0768E9AE-D619-49BB-BE7D-838B08DB1409">
<ns0:Num>236.10.</ns0:Num>
<ns0:LawSectionVersion id="id_2B5E6B81-6BA8-4983-BAF5-ED6049322913">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>
(a)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Concurrent with or subsequent to the filing of the petition, the prosecuting agency may move the superior court for, and the superior court may issue, the following pendente lite orders to preserve the status quo of the property alleged in the petition:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(1)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
An injunction to restrain anyone from transferring, encumbering, hypothecating, or otherwise disposing of the property.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Appointment of a receiver to take possession of, care for, manage, and operate the assets and properties so that the property may be maintained and preserved. The court may order that a receiver appointed pursuant to this section be compensated for all reasonable expenditures made or incurred by
the receiver in connection with the possession, care, management, and operation of property or assets that are subject to the provisions of this section.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(b)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
No preliminary injunction may be granted or receiver appointed without notice to the interested parties and a hearing to determine that an order is necessary to preserve the property, pending the outcome of the criminal proceedings, and that there is probable cause to believe that the property alleged in the forfeiture proceedings are proceeds, instruments, or property interests forfeitable under the provisions of Section 236.7. However, a temporary restraining order may issue pending that hearing pursuant to the provisions of Section 527 of the Code of Civil Procedure.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(c)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the court in granting these motions may order a surety bond or
undertaking to preserve the property interests of the interested parties.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(d)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The court shall, in making its orders, seek to protect the interests of those who may be involved in the same enterprise as the defendant, but who were not involved in human trafficking that involves a commercial sex act, as defined in Section 236.1.
</html:p>
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<ns0:BillSection id="id_D3B83C76-44B5-4F8C-9BCA-A2323D69E8F6">
<ns0:Num>SEC. 4.</ns0:Num>
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Section 236.11 of the
<ns0:DocName>Penal Code</ns0:DocName>
is amended to read:
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<ns0:LawSection id="id_960DA9FB-1016-4087-AF08-A3FB341249CF">
<ns0:Num>236.11.</ns0:Num>
<ns0:LawSectionVersion id="id_2D54E1F5-3B0E-43FA-9069-918C43E39EE2">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>
(a)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
If the trier of fact at the forfeiture hearing finds that the alleged property, instruments, or proceeds are forfeitable pursuant to Section 236.7 and the defendant was engaged in human trafficking that involves a commercial sex act, as defined in paragraph (2) of subdivision (h) of Section 236.1, the court shall declare that property or proceeds forfeited to the state or local governmental entity, subject to distribution as provided in Section 236.12. No property solely owned by a bona fide purchaser for value shall be subject to
forfeiture.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(b)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
If the trier of fact at the forfeiture hearing finds that the alleged property is forfeitable pursuant to Section 236.7 but does not find that a person holding a valid lien, mortgage, security interest, or interest under a conditional sales contract acquired that interest with actual knowledge that the property was to be used for a purpose for which forfeiture is permitted, and the amount due to that person is less than the appraised value of the property, that person may pay to the state or the local governmental entity that initiated the forfeiture proceeding the amount of the registered owner’s equity, which shall be deemed to be the difference between the appraised value and the amount of the lien, mortgage, security interest, or interest under a conditional sales contract. Upon payment, the state or
local governmental entity shall relinquish all claims to the property. If the holder of the interest elects not to pay the state or local governmental entity, the property shall be deemed forfeited to the state or local governmental entity and the ownership certificate shall be forwarded. The appraised value shall be determined as of the date judgment is entered either by agreement between the legal owner and the governmental entity involved, or, if they cannot agree, by a court-appointed appraiser for the county in which the action is brought. A person holding a valid lien, mortgage, security interest, or interest under a conditional sales contract shall be paid the appraised value of their interest.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(c)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
If the amount due to a person holding a valid lien, mortgage, security interest, or interest under a conditional sales contract is less
than the value of the property and the person elects not to make payment to the governmental entity, the property shall be sold at public auction by the Department of General Services or by the local governmental entity. The seller shall provide notice of the sale by one publication in a newspaper published and circulated in the city, community, or locality where the sale is to take place.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(d)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Notwithstanding subdivision (c), a county may dispose of real property forfeited to the county pursuant to this chapter by the process prescribed in Section 25538.5 of the Government Code.
</html:p>
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