Human trafficking: civil penalties.

Under existing law, a person who deprives or violates the personal liberty of another with the intent to effect or maintain a felony violation of specified sexual crimes, such as rape or pandering, or to obtain forced labor or services, is guilty of human trafficking, which is a felony punishable by imprisonment in the state prison for 3, 4, or 5 years. Existing law classifies a building or place used for the purpose of illegal gambling, lewdness, assignation, or prostitution, and every building or place in or upon which acts of illegal gambling, lewdness, assignation, or prostitution, are held or occur, as a nuisance, which shall be enjoined, abated, and prevented, and for which damages may be recovered through a prescribed process. Civil penalties recovered through this process are divided between the Restitution Fund in the State Treasury and either the city attorney and city prosecutor or the district attorney, depending on who brought the action. This bill would classify a building or place used for the purpose of, or in or upon which are held or occur acts of, human trafficking as a public nuisance. The bill would divide civil penalties collected through the nuisance provisions, in cases of human trafficking, between the Victim-Witness Assistance Fund, to be available upon appropriation by the Legislature to the California Emergency Management Agency to fund grants for human trafficking victim services and prevention programs, and the city attorney and city prosecutor or district attorney. Existing law authorizes a court to award costs, including the costs of investigation and discovery, and reasonable attorney's fees to the prevailing party in cases in which a governmental agency seeks to enjoin the use of a building or place for, or to enjoin acts of, illegal gambling, lewdness, assignation, or prostitution. The bill would make that provision applicable to cases in which a governmental agency seeks to enjoin the use of a building or place for, or to enjoin acts of, human trafficking.