On Friday, Democrat California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a new state law that will stop police from arresting people for loitering for prostitution.
In other words, Newson is one step closer to legalizing prostitution and we will expect more prostitutes walking on our streets or worst just outside our homes.
A provision in state law previously allowed police to arrest those who “delay or linger without a lawful purpose” if it appeared they were trying to engage in sex work.
However, in the new LAW, Police can no longer use this charge, and those who have been convicted are able to petition the court for resentencing or dismissal, according to the law’s language.
Here’s what Newsom said in a signing message:
“To be clear, this bill does not legalize prostitution, it simply revokes provisions of the law that have led to disproportionate harassment of women and transgender adults”.
California will no longer arrest prostitutes for street loitering. https://t.co/L2J8b6UKoj
— Mr. Lee (@TheUnWastedOne) July 3, 2022
The Governor just signed SB 357 which would essentially legalize prostitution in CA. When you see prostitutes in front of your business, homes or public places; you can remember that is was the Governor and his Supermajority Party… https://t.co/dcZZULcF6Q
— Assemblywoman Janet Nguyen (@AsmJanetNguyen) July 1, 2022
More details of this new law from The Associated Press report:
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.
“To be clear, this bill does not legalize prostitution,” Newsom said in a signing message. “It simply revokes provisions of the law that have led to disproportionate harassment of women” and transgender adults, he said, nothing that Black and Latino women are particularly affected.
The bill will bar police in California from arresting anyone for loitering with the intent to engage in prostitution. Sen. Scott Wiener and other supporters said such arrest decisions often rely on an officer’s perception.
While Newsom said he agreed with the intent of the repeal, “we must be cautious about its implementation.” He said his administration will track crime and prosecution trends “for any possible unintended consequences” and, if so, work to correct them.
“For far too long, California law has been used to profile, harass and arrest transgender and gender-nonconforming people simply for existing in public spaces,” Tony Hoang, executive director of the LGTBQ rights group Equality California, said in praising the repeal.
For those of you scoring along at home, in CA prostitutes may now gather in open-air markets just like drug dealers amd addicts.#winning
California repeals provision criminalizing loitering related to possible prostitution | CNN https://t.co/ep8QZlNOFs
— Big Smooth (@BigSmoothInBigD) July 3, 2022
Under Democrats’ watch, California is becoming more and more like the video game Grand Theft Auto every day.
Sources: WLT, The Associated Press
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