BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Assemblymember Dr. Jasmeet Bains announced Monday that two bills aimed at tightening accountability for sexual predators and limiting prosecutorial secrecy have passed the California State Assembly.
The legislation is part of Bains’ broader “Lords of Bakersfield” package, which targets what she describes as legal loopholes and special treatment for wealthy or politically connected offenders.
One of the measures, Assembly Bill 2273 - known as the SCRIVNER Act - stems from the ongoing criminal case involving former Kern County Supervisor Zachary Scrivner.
The bill would require prosecutors to explain decisions to reduce or alter charges through plea agreements. It would also require child molestation charges against elected officials to be filed within 30 days.
During remarks on the Assembly floor, Bains criticized the use of mental health diversion laws in cases involving sexual predators.
“Our good intentions are not good enough when predators walk free,” Bains said.
The second bill, Assembly Bill 2274 - known as the Epstein Loophole Act - would prohibit prosecutors from keeping the identities of human traffickers and child molesters confidential through nonprosecution agreements.
The legislation was introduced in response to the controversial 2008 agreement involving Jeffrey Epstein, which granted immunity to Epstein and an unnamed group of co-conspirators.
Bains referenced a 2020 federal investigation that described the agreement as an exercise of “poor judgment.”
“This bill ensures that human traffickers and their clients stand accused of their crimes because poor judgment is not an excuse to allow predators to walk free,” Bains said during her floor presentation.
Both bills passed the Assembly floor and now move to the state Senate for consideration.
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