California Democratic legislators gutted a bill that would have made it a felony to solicit any children for sex, despite support for the measure from Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) and Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis.

California Republicans are increasingly pushing Democrats on child sex crimes bills. The supermajority is growing more divided about it.

California Democrats in the Legislature were caught in a public dispute this week. That's because a committee removed a measure to increase penalties for soliciting and buying sex from 16- and 17-year-olds.