It’s probably Megan Dahle’s biggest legislative victory of the session that was scheduled to end late Wednesday night. The Assembly has unanimously approved a bill Nevada County’s representative co-authored that exposes human traffickers to greater legal penalties. Dahle says it now classifies the crime as a serious felony and also a “strikeable” offense. That means repeat offenders, or those who have been convicted of other strikeable crimes, could face more time….

click to listen to Megan Dahle

This past summer, Democratic lawmakers didn’t support the original measure, that would have made human trafficking a “violent” offense. In addition, Dahle says the legislation now includes a change that ensures that victims aren’t also inadvertently prosecuted…

click to listen to Megan Dahle

This was the sixth time lawmakers had proposed the idea. It had been repeatedly defeated by a key committee known for turning down bills that increase sentences, in order to avoid inflating prison populations. The State Senate, where the bill originated, is expected to approve the changes before it’s sent to Governor Newsom, who indicates he’ll sign it.