Sex Work Would Be Broadly Legal in New York Under New Bill Introduced Monday
shadowcat
Atlanta suburb
A group of lawmakers first called for legislation in February, but on Monday they finally came forward with a 13-page bill that would bring dramatic changes to the sex trade in the state.
The bill, written with advocacy group DecrimNY, would make it legal to both buy and sell sex under certain circumstances and modifies laws around facilities that are used as places of prostitution.
"For us, this is a bodily autonomy issue — our bodies, our choice — but more than that, it’s an economic issue. And it’s personal," Jessica Raven, one of Decrim NY's organizers, wrote in a Daily News op-ed Monday.
Two of the bill's sponsors, state senators Jessica Ramos and Julia Salazar, have said that 9 out of 10 people arrested in sex-work-related massage parlor raids are immigrants, with most being undocumented Asians.
.@DickGottfried reminds us that once upon a time, sex outside of marriage was criminalized, and not long ago, marriage between two people of the same gender was criminalized. Decriminalization of sex work is next! #decrimNY
LGBTQ youth, who often run away from home seeking acceptance, trade sex at 7 to 8 times the rate of other youth in New York City, Ramos and Salazar say.
A companion bill was also introduced in the Assembly on Monday, with five sponsors.
Nevada is right now the only U.S. state where prostitution is legal in some counties.
Sounds good to me.
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46 comments
Hopefully it'll be the start of something way overdo
The fact that it’s started to at least be brought to the table is a huge win. Honestly NYC should be on the cutting edge of the sex industry in America, with so many foreigners that come from places where sex is not the devil. It is not. I hope it goes far to at least start more conversations on this issue. To lock somebody up for to consenting adults to have sex is so unbelievably wrong. Stop the madness.
Thanks SC.
https://legislation.nysenate.gov/pdf/bil…
Its very poorly conceived.... it won't pass. If it does, it will get struck down as unconstitutional since it contradicts Federal labor laws. Basically, the relationship between a hoe and a trick isn't protected by the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment."
And hoes' rights to earn a living is not violated by the criminalization of hoeing coz hoeing is illegal and there is no constitutional rights to engage in illegal employment.
What makes Nevada's whore houses legal is the regulations in place and the fact that these regulations have been in place and evolving for almost a hundred years now. Although the state is slowly phasing prostitution out....Coz modern legal interpretations basically admit that NV's hoe houses were just grandfathered into the system....and even with regulations, are still violating state nuisance laws. TBH states would probably be able to legalize if they followed NV's example, but they don't want to invest in the regulatory infrastructure so they come up with half assed laws that get struck down....
Interestingly, NV hoe houses don't even pay the state entertainment tax or any other fee besides licensing. They do pay Federal taxes though.
As far as the NY legalization bill being promoted by women... it has to do with the anti trafficking and health check up/regulatory factors involved.
Personally, I think legalization would just push prostitution further underground.... marginalizing the women who need help even more. Legalization entails regulation, licensing, income tax, place of employment, etc... labor laws would have to be amended to include legal brothels or designated red light districts. This coupled with private sector greed would drive prices up..... Also keep in mind legal prostitutes wouldn't be in the same desperate situation as those who charge less just to make some money. Its a very different dynamic.
The decriminalization of indoor prostitution in Rhode Island was a huge boost for organized crime and the drug trade. Hence why the interpretation of the state's prostitution laws was quickly altered.
SJG
No, it wasn't.
"Hence why the interpretation of the state's prostitution laws was quickly altered."
Quickly as in the 29 years from decriminalization in 1980 to 2009? And the first attempt to overturn decriminalization started in 2003 and failed every year until 2009.
Wait... what...
“There is no constitutional right to engage in illegal employment, namely, prostitution,” - Judge Jane A. Restani.
But, if prostitution is deemed legal by state law, then the finding by the 9th Circuit becomes null, seeing the ruling hinges on the illegality of prostitution.
You circular reasoning is dizzying.
We *almost* agree. It won't be deemed legal in NY, because the NY law won't pass. The reason it won't pass isn't based on labor laws or the Constitution, but simply because the political will isn't there.
But if it did pass, neither labor laws or the Constitution would stop it from being enacted. I mean, I'm sure it would be challenged in court by social conservatives using whatever they think might stick. But there is no federal, Constitutional, or labor basis that blocks it directly.
"NV's brothels were kinda grandfathered into the system."
NV state law is not relevant to NY state law.
"Which is why they have to mention the state law thing."
Who is 'they'?
Also, while there have been several threads where you've given off the whiff of being a woman, and possibly a stripper, the odor in this thread is particularly strong. No idea if it's true or not, but there you go.
NV and NY are in the same country. The Constitution states that the laws of other states are given full faith and credit. Its the main legal interpretation of Article 4.
You know who they refers to and the context its being used in or are you retarded? NY's legislators.
Calling me a woman and specifically a stripper as if it were aimed at being an offense, shows your misogyny.
As if opposing paying hookers for sex is somehow unmanly. I'd argue the opposite.
If you disagree, please feel free to link a copy of the applicable federal labor statute which specifically addresses prostitution. Otherwise spare us this multi-month repetitive nonsense.
When AMPs and extras clubs are raided and shut down, its the predicate crimes....crimes that arise due to the underlying condition aka illegal labor, that get them shut down and get people locked up.
If you claim prostitution is legal, then go openly solicit and use your argument before a judge. See how far it gets you.
You don't understand the legal and ethical premises of why solicitation, enticing someone to engage in an illicit act, is illegal...
I'm starting to think that you are a bit retarded and that your brain is struggling to process simple concepts. And no, this is not one of those situation where all opinions are equally valid - you're twisting shit that doesn't exist into a weird alternate narrative that doesn't apply.
He's a troll perpetuating an endless argument for his own juvenile jollies. He fully understands the points being made (I suspect) but cogent debate is not on his list of motivations.
I don't always make the best time management choices, but a circular debate with someone who is being intentionally obtuse about legislation that isn't going to pass goes beyond the Pale even for me.
But keep at it if it's fun for you.
You guys don't understand the legal system. Prostitution is illegal.....
25, you bring up the Mann Act yet have no problem with illegal brothels masquerading as massage parlors. You do realize that the Mann Act considers "consensual" sex with a trafficking victim is illegal.
But like I said, go get yourselves arrested for solicitation and then give the judge your defense, see how far it gets you.
http://www.streetsheet.org/wp-content/up…
SJG
https://nextcity.org/daily/entry/new-yor…
https://theappeal.org/the-police-act-lik…
https://www.decrimny.org/
Article says Andrew Cuomo will not sign it.
latest news:
https://www.decrimny.org/blog
I think we do need to decriminalize, and while there will be objections to this, I don't see there as being any real problems.
Interested to hear more about what when down in Rhode Island.
SJG
https://www.decrimny.org/blog
SJG