A new bill is in the works in Illinois from two state lawmakers who are pushing to decriminalize sex work, a topic that has sparked new conversations in recent years about the practice.
State Rep. Will Guzzardi and State Sen. Celina Villanueva are behind the latest effort to decriminalize sex work, which, if passed, would make Illinois the first state in the country.
The decriminalization of sex work would make sexual services, erotic dancing, and pornography in exchange for money all legal means of work in the state.
Supporters of the movement say that making consensual adult sex work legal would give those who are already doing it off the record protections that other workers in other fields receive.
A study from the American Journal of Public Health estimates that 45% and 75% of all sex workers worldwide will experience violence at some point in their careers. Advocates say this law would look to rectify that.
“The threat of arrest and prosecution keeps sex workers unsafe and in the shadows, and this threat must be eliminated,” Brian Johnson, CEO of Equality Illinois, said Monday at a news conference announcing the proposed bill. “This law is essential now more than ever.”
However, the lawmakers have made clear that their bill would not allow for people to be coerced or threatened into the activities being made legal, as that is considered sex trafficking.
The first step has already been taken, as the General Assembly passed a bill last week that Guzzardi proposed to change “prostitute” to “person engaged in the sex trade.” It will also prohibit law enforcement from knowingly or willingly participating in sex with a sex worker whom the officer is investigating.
Also in the latest bill from Guzzardi and Villanueva are protections for sex workers from abuse by law enforcement, the automatic sealing of related court records, and the removal of language in Illinois law that some say is dehumanizing.
As things currently sit, sex work is classified under state law as a misdemeanor for both the worker and anyone soliciting sex.
The solicitation of a minor is considered a felony. The legislation from Guzzardi and Villanueva would not change that classification.
However, details about how the bill would be implemented and regulated have yet to be shared.
Guzzardi shared with Axios that he will be introducing the bill later this month to the state General Assembly. The timeline for a vote on the legislation is not yet known.
“There is an epidemic of violence against sex workers in this country,” Guzzardi said Monday. “Something needs to be done to keep sex workers safe, and there’s no single thing we can do to solve this epidemic entirely. But there is a proven strategy that has worked in other places across the country and around the world, and that’s fully decriminalizing adult consensual sex work.”