Sacramento, CA – This weekend, Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr. signed Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi’s (D-Torrance) Assembly Bill (AB) 368, a new law that allows the consolidation of child sexual assault prosecutions to protect child victims from having to relive their assault details multiple times in court. Under AB 368, sponsored by Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey, when an offender commits certain sexual crimes with a minor in multiple jurisdictions, the offenses may be joined and heard in any one of those locations.
“As a former prosecutor, I am pleased to work with the Los Angeles County District Attorney to help protect child sexual assault victims,” stated Assemblymember Muratsuchi. “This new law will allow the consolidation of child sexual assault prosecutions to protect children from having to relive their assault details multiple times in court.”
Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey stated, “Transitory living situations can result in a child sexual assault victim being victimized in multiple jurisdictions, often by the same offender. Consolidating criminal prosecutions results in preventing a child sexual assault victim being subjected to multiple court proceedings, repetitive investigations, and testifying in multiple trials often lasting over several years. AB 368 solves this problem by allowing for the consolidation of all child sexual assault prosecutions.”
Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi represents California’s 66th Assembly District, which includes El Camino Village, Gardena, Harbor City, Harbor Gateway, Hermosa Beach, Lomita, Los Angeles, Manhattan Beach, Palos Verdes Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes, Redondo Beach, Rolling Hills, Rolling Hills Estates, Torrance, and West Carson. He serves as Chairman of the Joint Legislative Audit Committee and the Assembly Select Committee on Aerospace. Muratsuchi is a member of the Assembly Committees on Budget, Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance, Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials, Natural Resources, Utilities and Energy, and Veterans Affairs.