Let’s be crystal clear. I just voted yes on Assembly Bill 379, along with 18 Republicans, to create a new felony that protects 16- and 17-year-olds from being bought for sex, give law enforcement stronger tools to arrest Johns, stiffer penalties for businesses that don’t report or post human trafficking information, and create a fund to support survivors. It is abill the Republican leader, Assemblyman James Gallahher, said basically restored the original protections in the bill. Despite the many extreme and inaccurate attacks against me, including my former political opponent, The Signal and others, that strong bill hailed by the Republican leader is what I voted for. Plain and simple. But let’s go back even more.

There is a saying in the Legislature that you learn quickly, “don’t fall in love with your bills.” This is a hard rule for me to follow. I care deeply about making a difference for our community and I’ve fallen in love with many of my bills. But senior members of the Legislature give this advice because they know from experience, what your bill starts as will almost always be changed, amended and adjusted.

For about 20 years before getting elected, I was a nurse advocate and advocate for workers fighting for good jobs, retirement security and health care they could depend on. As an advocate, I often called out elected leaders, just like has happened almost every day this week in The Signal against me. I have often been very critical of my own party and Democratic leaders. I thought electeds were often spineless, too willing to compromise, and too afraid of hard votes. And certainly that can be true.

But I’ve been pleasantly surprised and my mind has even changed after being elected for a couple years now. I realized each legislator comes........

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