A group of New York state lawmakers on Monday announced what could be a landmark effort to roll back laws against prostitution, an effort that could lead to legalization of consensual sex work in New York. The criminalization of sex work
disproportionately impacts LGBTQI+ NYers, immigrants, and people of color, wrote State Senator Brad Hoylman, chair the New York Senate Judiciary Committee and a co-sponsor of the legislation. It perpetuates stigma, and it furthers a devastating cycle of
incarceration. We need change. Senators Jessica Ramos and Julia Salaza are also backing the proposed package of legislation. The move in New York comes soon after a Rhode Island lawmaker introduced a resolution to study decriminalizing sex
work in that state, and about two months after the mayor of New Orleans , Louisiana, called for increased legal protection for sex workers. The bills set to be introduced by the New York lawmakers would repeal a state statute that makes loitering
for the purposes of prostitution a criminal offense. Under another provision of the proposed new laws, any conviction for prostitution deemed to be the result of sex trafficking would be immediately voided. |