Preventing Child Trafficking Addressing Human Trafficking as a Serious Felony

Human trafficking is the second largest and fastest growing illicit industry, after drug trafficking. Worldwide, it’s estimated that there are over 40 million victims of human trafficking. 75% are women and girls, 25% are children.

Recent studies indicate that San Diego County has become a human trafficking hub, and with up to 8,000 victims per year, it’s one of the country’s 13 worst human trafficking regions. Girls and women are frequent victims, but boys are often targeted. Up to 50% of trafficked children in the U.S. may be boys, and the average age of entry is between 11-13 years of age.

The monsters behind this heinous, often violent and life-shattering crime against children must be made to understand that severe penalties will be the result. That’s why I joined Senator Shannon Grove (R –Bakersfield) to co-author Senate Bill 14 (SB 14). SB 14 provides that “human trafficking of a minor” will be designated as a “serious felony.” The offense will be added to crimes subject to the Three Strikes Law, providing for enhanced penalties for individuals who have prior convictions for “serous” and Reading is a great way to spend a quiet afternoon and relax after an exciting summer filled with activities. The San Marcos Library is your opportunity to find the perfect book for you and offers much more! Our city

“violent” felonies. Plea bargaining will be limited.

This is not a partisan issue. SB 14 passed the Senate unanimously, and was forwarded to the Assembly. Passage was briefly delayed in the Assembly Public Safety Committee, but immediate public outcry, including many calls and emails to my office, resulted in reconsideration. I’m happy to report that on July 13 the bill passed the Public Safety Committee and has now been forwarded to the Appropriations Committee. From there it will likely receive a floor vote later this summer. Prospects for passage appear bright.

This repugnant industry can be defeated through increased public awareness and heightened consequences for criminal perpetrators. We can and must rein in human trafficking to prevent more lives from being shattered.

Assemblymember Marie Waldron, R- Valley Center, represents the 75th Assembly District in the California Legislature, which includes the cities of Poway, Santee, portions of the City of San Diego, and most of rural eastern and northern San Diego County.

A Word from San Marcos Mayor Rebecca Jones San Marcos Library

provides resources like the eLibrary where adults can find exciting reading materials. From EMagazines to eBooks and even eAudiobooks, we have it all which is available 24/7 through our library services. Share the special spark of our local library with children too! At the San Marcos Library, we have dedicated spaces and material for children at the Kids’ Corner and for teens in the Teen Lounge.

Visit the San Marcos Library any time this summer, located at 2 Civic Center Drive. Their hours of operation include Monday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday and Wednesday from noon to 7 p.m. and finally Friday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visit the San Marcos Library webpage for more details.

Last week, the State Assembly’s Public Safety Committee failed to approve Senate Bill 14, which would have classified human trafficking as a serious felony and subjected it to the Three Strikes Law in California. It was disheartening to see as human trafficking is categorized as a “non-serious” crime, undermining its severity and neglecting the urgent need to protect our most vulnerable populations from this modern-day slavery.

A few days later, the Assembly’s Public Safety Committee reversed course and passed SB 14, sending it to the appropriations committee. This is a welcome development. However, I cannot overlook the disappointment and frustration that this crucial legislation had to go through a forced emergency hearing to receive the attention it deserved. The initial vote should have never come to this.

Child trafficking is an unspeakable crime that shatters the lives of innocent children, and it demands our utmost attention and action. It is disheartening that such a matter of human rights and protecting our most vulnerable had to be politi- cized. This is not a partisan issue. While I appreciate the Assembly Public Safety Committee’s unanimous vote in favor of SB 14, we should not have reached this point. The fact that this had to go to a special session speaks to the need for our state Legislature to prioritize the concerns and well-being of our communities.

I firmly believe that safeguarding our children from the horrors of child trafficking should be a shared goal, transcending party lines. We must set aside our differences and work together to eradicate this despicable crime. It is incumbent upon all of us to prioritize the safety and well-being of our children and restore faith in the integrity of our legislative processes.

I urge the entire California Assembly to pass this into law immediately and hold human traffickers accountable.

San Diego County District 5 Supervisor Jim Desmond, 1600 Pacific Highway, #335, San Diego, CA 92101, United States http:// www.supervisorjimdesmond.com/

Problem Solved

by Christopher Elliott

Amazon sent me the wrong graphics card. How do I get this fixed?

Ryan Maietta orders an Arc A770 graphics card from Amazon. Instead, he gets a different card, an A750. How does he get this fixed?

Q: I recently ordered an Intel Arc A770 Graphics Card on Amazon. I paid $271 with my Amazon credit card.

The order arrived a few days later, but it was not the Intel Arc A770 –it was the Intel Arc A750, which is significantly different.

When viewed in my account history, it shows the order as the A770. On my invoice, it’s the A770. But when I clicked on my order after the wrong item was delivered, it was the A750.

I called Amazon’s customer service department and spoke with a supervisor, who agreed to issue an advance reimbursement as a gift card with a balance of $271.

She instructed me to return the incorrect graphics card and place a new order for the Intel Arc A770 through a different link.

The order arrived today, and I see a partial credit in my Amazon account. But they shorted me $107 -- the price difference between the items. I’ve spoken with several representatives and supervisors who refuse to help me, saying they don’t price match. I’m not looking for a price match. Ideally, I would like my reimbursement to my original method of payment. Can you help?

~ Ryan Maietta, Visalia, Calif.

A: Amazon should have shipped you the right graphics card. Once it discovered the error, it should have arranged for a quick replacement. The card you received is not the

Problem

By Tom Morrow

After more than a half century nearly forgotten in history books, the name of Julius Robert Oppenheimer, primarily responsible for the development of the atomic bomb, has been re-introduced to the public by way of a big-screen Hollywood film.

Oppenheimer, a nuclear physicist, arguably was one of history’s most controversial figures. Some historians list him as being the savior from world conflicts, while others regard his work as that of the devil, forever plaguing the planet to instant destruction.

Born April 22, 1904, Oppenheimer was director of the highly secret Los Alamos Laboratory during World War II. He is credited as being the “father of the atomic