Bill to decriminalize sex work in Louisiana fails to make it out of committee
Many sex workers and allies turned out in full force to voice their support for a bill to decriminalize sex work in Louisiana, but that effort failed to get out of committee Tuesday.
After nearly three hours of discussion, Rep. Mandie Landry, a New Orleans Democrat, voluntarily deferred the bill when she saw it was unlikely to pass.
Though the bill could technically be rescheduled for a later House Administration of Criminal Justice committee hearing, Rep. Ted James, a Baton Rouge Democrat, said in committee it’s unlikely they’ll have time for another lengthy debate on the topic this session. Instead, Landry told Gambit she should still have time this session to bring forward a measure that would create a task force — made up of sex workers, law enforcement and health care workers — to study the issue.
