Legal Immunity for Sex Workers (H 7704)

We testified in support of a bill which would have granted legal immunity to individuals engaged in commercial sexual activity who report a crime that they are either a victim of or witness to.

By granting legal immunity to individuals engaged in commercial sexual activity who report a crime that they are either a victim of or witness to, this legislation would have created more comprehensive occupational safety for sex workers. We testified in support of this bill, noting that such statutory protection would ensure that sex workers do not encounter legal consequences should they need to seek medical or law enforcement assistance throughout the course of their work. However, we urged that this year's version be revised to match the version introduced in 2021 for clarity as to the intention of the bill's language. This legislation unfortunately died in committee.