SACRAMENTO - California would repeal mandatory jail time for convicted prostitutes under a bill approved by the state Senate amid growing concern that many are victims of human trafficking or addicts who need treatment.
The measure by Senator William Monning, a Democrat, reflects a growing national conversation about whether people who exchange sex for money should be viewed as victims rather than as criminals, along with a movement in California to end mandatory sentencing for non-violent offenders.
"As we learn more, particularly about women who engage in prostitution, we're learning more and more about human trafficking," Monning said. "There is also an intersection with drug and alcohol use."