California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed several bills aimed at enhancing protections for victims of sexual assault on college campuses. One of the bills requires California universities to improve human trafficking preventative training for employees.
Assemblymember Maggy Krell, who authored the legislation, said her experience as a Deputy Attorney General motivated her to take action. She recalled a case where a defendant stole a victim’s financial aid check and forced her into prostitution.
Krell’s legislation requires postsecondary institutions in California to improve processes for identifying and reporting sexual crimes, with the goal of enhancing university employees’ ability to recognize human trafficking. A 2026 study found that more than 40% of Southern California college students knew someone who was trafficked or sold sex.
The governor also signed Senate Bill 1056, which creates new privacy protections around sexually explicit images or recordings used as evidence in criminal cases. This bill was inspired by the case of Denise Huskins Quinn and Aaron Quinn, who were involved in a case that became a national news story.
She stated that the new law is “a huge, huge thing for us, for survivors.” Governor Newsom hopes the law will give the couple a sense of empowerment and help them take something back.
These new laws could help improve support for sexual assault survivors on college campuses. By enhancing training and privacy protections, they may help create a safer environment for students.
