AP β California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday signed a new state law that will stop police from arresting people for loitering for prostitution, an issue that divided sex workers and advocates during a rare nine-month delay since state lawmakers passed the bill last year.
The bill will bar police in California from arresting anyone for loitering with the intent to engage in prostitution. The measure also will allow those who were previously convicted or are serving sentences to ask a court to dismiss and seal the record of the conviction.
Similar legislation became law in New York last year in what Wiener said is part of a broader effort to end violence toward and discrimination against sex workers. He hoped the pause would give proponents time to build more support, including by signing an online petition.
Opponents like the California Family Council countered with their own online petition as part of a monthslong tug-of-war. The American Civil Liberties Union of California sought the legislation along with several groups backing transgender sex workers and others in the sex industry. Voters recently recalled Boudin amid a campaign labeling him as soft on criminals. The nonpartisan National Center on Sexual Exploitation took the opposite view, saying that ending the law would make it easier for traffickers and sex buyers to exploit vulnerable people.
A bill passed in bars arresting minors for prostitution, with the intent that they instead be treated as victims. A bill bars arresting sex workers if they are reporting various crimes as a victim or witness. The same law bans using possession of condoms as reason for an arrest. Fri, 31 Jan GMT Story Infinite Scroll - News3 v1. Sky Cams. Lake Levels. North Coast News.
