California Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed an executive order directing state officials to develop a statewide roadmap for preventing sex trafficking and improving services for survivors.
The order calls for greater coordination among state agencies, local governments, tribal partners, community organizations and survivor-informed groups. It follows a series of meetings led by First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom with survivors, service providers and other stakeholders.
“California is committed to public safety — preventing human trafficking, holding perpetrators accountable, and standing with survivors,” Newsom said. “This executive order strengthens statewide efforts to identify exploitation earlier and connect survivors to the support they need.”
The order directs state officials to:
* Develop a statewide framework for sex trafficking prevention and response.
* Incorporate trauma-informed and evidence-based practices into behavioral health, child welfare, homelessness and other state-supported programs.
* Identify opportunities to expand stable housing, prevention programs and recovery services for survivors.
* Strengthen prevention and early identification efforts for young people considered at greater risk of exploitation, including foster youth, LGBTQ+ youth, immigrant youth, runaway and homeless youth, Native youth and justice-involved youth.
* Improve referral systems, public awareness and access to survivor-centered services.
The executive order was signed during a roundtable at City of Refuge, a Sacramento-based organization that provides services and support to people affected by exploitation, homelessness and other challenges.
“When we prioritize women’s safety and wellbeing, our children are better off, our communities are stronger, and our economy thrives,” Siebel Newsom said. “Today, we’re reinforcing that commitment by putting survivors first, creating a roadmap for stronger prevention, and building a more coordinated, trauma-informed response to sex trafficking.”
Following the roundtable, Siebel Newsom met with survivors and community members as part of her California Love, California Strong initiative, which was launched to promote community engagement and address social isolation.
“Belonging is a powerful part of healing,” City of Refuge co-founder Rachelle Ditmore said. “Every day, we see how connection, trust, and community help survivors rediscover hope and begin to rebuild their lives.”
According to the governor’s office, California has committed more than $546.8 million to victim services since 2019, including more than $100 million for human trafficking victim assistance.
The 2026-27 state budget includes $10 million for a competitive California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services grant program supporting vertical prosecution of human trafficking cases. Under that model, one prosecutor generally handles a case from its beginning through its conclusion.
The budget also includes an additional $10 million for the state’s Victims of Human Trafficking Grant Program, increasing total program funding to $20 million.
The 2025-26 state budget included $10 million for Family Justice Centers; $5 million in ongoing funding for the California Highway Patrol’s computer crimes investigation unit; $7 million in ongoing funding for Cal OES investigations involving internet crimes against children.
Newsom signed Assembly Bill 379 in August 2025, increasing criminal penalties for adults who solicit 16- and 17-year-olds. He also signed human trafficking-related legislation in 2023 and 2024 addressing penalties, law enforcement training, emergency-room assistance and labor trafficking.
The executive order directs state agencies to identify actions that can be taken under existing authority while developing longer-term recommendations for lawmakers, policymakers and organizations involved in trafficking prevention and survivor services.
