R.I. House Judiciary panel to vote on prostitution bill
7:05 AM Thu, Apr 30, 2009 | Permalink
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A bill to criminalize prostitution that occurs indoors is scheduled for a vote Thursday in the House Judiciary Committee. Rhode Island is currently the only state in the country, except for certain counties in Nevada, which has no prohibition against prostitution which occurs indoors. Supporters of the bill, introduced by Rep. Joanne M. Giannini, D-Providence, who include state and local police, have said it would eliminate a major legal hurdle in prosecuting cases against brothels and pimps. Opponents of the bill maintain that bill raises privacy concerns and could result in prosecuting more prostitutes, whom they see as victims. Rep. Donald J. Lally Jr., chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, said he supports the bill and expects the committee it will be approved by the committee. The bill would then have to go before the full House. "It's time we're not the only one out of 50 (states) which hasn't a law against it,'' Rep. Lally said on Wednesday. "I don't think that's what we really want to be known for." Rep. Peter F. Martin, a member of the Pawtucket Police Department, said that the way the law is currently has stymied law enforcement from prosecuting pimps and sex-traffickers. "If there's no offense," Martin said, "how do I even charge that a crime is occurring?" But other committee members disagree. "I don't know that locking (the women) up for months in the ACI is going to get them to cooperate," said Rep. Edith H. Ajello, the committee secretary. Ajello also raised concerns about criminalizing indoor prostitution when it involves "consent between two people." Rep. Peter F. Martin, a self-described Libertarian, said that he fears criminalizing indoor prostitution woudl create a "unfair burden on the prostitute and the John." Lally, the committee chairman, said that any bill he votes for would have to include "equally penalizing" the Johns and prostitutes. 
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RI ought to read it's history. Indoor prostitution was decriminalized because of the polices' arbitrary enforcement which was exposed through a federal civil case the result being that RI settled out of court by decriminalizing indoor. Secondly, you don't need to arrest workers and our customers in order to file criminal charges to stop forced labor in our industry. There is nothing stopping the state from filing charges on force, fraud and coercion now. This legislation i only a which hunt by the sex haters.
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"Lally, the committee chairman, said that any bill he votes for would have to include "equally penalizing" the Johns and prostitutes."
Yeah, that is going to happen!!! *sarcasm*
In 49 other states were prostitution is illegal, why is it that only the women are arrested.
Looks like RI is setting themselves up for another class action suit.
Like the other posters in previous articles have said, the real victim is the Tax payer!!
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Why does this article have "criminalize prostitution that occurs indoors" link to a Human trafficking rally?
Prostitution and Human Trafficking are not the same thing, and there are two different bills.
One that is being voted on today is for prostitution.
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