The Chicago Sun-Times describes the first in the nation decriminalization of prostitution as follows:
“State lawmakers plan to introduce legislation this week that would make Illinois the first state to fully decriminalize sex work. Equality Illinois and the Sex Worker Advisory Group, a coalition of Black and Brown current and former sex workers, have spent more than three years advocating for the bill, which aims to reduce threats of violence and create safer conditions for sex workers.”
The bill “would remove criminal penalties for adults engaging in consensual sex work, remove arrest and conviction records for sex workers and establish a sex workers’ bill of rights.”
Prostitution now is a misdemeanor, conviction bringing up to a year in jail and $2,500 in fines.
