CALIFORNIA: Condom Possession Can’t Be Used As Evidence Of Prostitution Under Law Signed By Gov

The Sacramento Bee reports:

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation today that prohibits condoms as evidence of prostitution when prosecuting someone for sex work crimes. Sex workers are also protected under the new law from arrest when they report rape and other serious felonies.

The legislation will therefore prevent “sex workers who report violent felonies from being treated as a criminal themselves,” and will specifically alleviate risks that disproportionately affect people of color, workers in the street and transgender women.

Prostitution is illegal in California. The California District Attorneys Association and the California State Sheriffs’ Association opposed the bill. “While we understand and appreciate the struggles of victims of human trafficking and sex workers, SB 233 is bad public policy and sets a bad precedent,” the attorneys association argued.