A bill decriminalizing loitering for prostitution has been sent to Gov. Newsom. Will he sign it?

After nine months in limbo, a bill that would decriminalize loitering for the purposes of prostitution has finally been sent to Gov. Gavin Newsom for a signature.

He has 12 days to either sign or veto it.

The hotly-contested Senate Bill 357 passed out of the Legislature last September despite objections from law enforcement and some human trafficking support groups, as well as a few moderate Democratic lawmakers.

While the bill does not decriminalize sex work, it does prevent police from using loitering laws to arrest suspected sex workers.

Critics argue that the measure makes it harder for law enforcement to rescue vulnerable people from sex trafficking.

“It severely cripples law enforcement’s ability to arrest and prosecute human traffickers and sex buyers,” Stephany Powell, a former LAPD sergeant now with the National Center on Sexual Exploitation, told The Bee last fall. “If it’s repealed, sex buyers would have immunity.”

The bill was sponsored by ACLU California Action, and has the support of groups including LGBTQ advocacy group Equality California and the Transgender Gender-variant and Intersex Justice Project.

Sen. Wiener’s office notes that the loitering law is used by police to harass and discriminate against Black and Brown people, as well as LGBTQ people, particularly those in the transgender community.

LGBTQ people and people of color are disproportionately more likely to be targeted by police violence, Wiener’s office said in a statement. Transgender people are more than twice as likely to report physical assault by police and four times as likely to report sexual assault, while Black people are 3.5 times more likely than whites to be shot by police, the statement said.

“This Pride Month, as we see a surge in violence against and harassment of the LGTBQ community, it is more important than ever to get rid of a law that targets our community,” Wiener said in the statement.

“Current law essentially allows law enforcement to target and arrest people if they are wearing tight clothes or a lot of make-up. Many of those impacted by this law are Black and Brown trans women. Pride isn’t just about rainbow flags and parades. It’s about protecting the most marginalized in our community. I urge Gov. Newsom to sign SB 357.”

This story was originally published June 20, 2022 at 6:00 AM.