California Assembly Passes SB233, Sex Workers Applaud

San Francisco, CA — The Erotic Service Providers Legal Education and Research Project (ESPLERP) recently applauded the passage of California Senate Bill 233.

SB233 is Senator Scott Wiener’s (D-San Francisco) legislation to protect people from arrest for prostitution offenses when reporting serious crimes, such as rape. The bill also prohibits police from using possession of condoms as evidence of prostitution. The bill passed out of the Assembly earlier this week with a vote. It will now go before the Senate before going to the Governor’s desk.

SB233 has picked up several more endorsements, including the Los Angeles County District Attorney and the City of Berkeley Police Review Commission. The bill picked up additional sponsorships during the Assembly Public Safety Committee hearing on June 11, including members Buffy Wicks and Sydney Kamlager-Dove. Assembly Public Safety Committee Member Tom Lackey also provided the first bi-partisan vote to support.

“It was clear to the Assembly Public Safety Committee Members that the law enforcement need to prioritize public safety and public health and stop their current practice of taking condoms of evidence of prostitution,” said ESPLERP spokesperson Maxine Doogan.

“[They also need to] take reports when we’re victims and witnesses to crime by granting immunity to us from prostitution arrests when we’re victims and witnesses to crime,” Doogan added.

SB233 required and received the two-thirds vote from the Assembly — 54-13 — to pass as altering the evidentiary code to now remove condoms as evidence of prostitution, a misdemeanor.