By Guy Page
Two bills to legalize prostitution have been introduced into the Vermont Legislature.
Both bills have strong backing from Burlington-area legislators. In June, 2022, Gov. Phil Scott signed into law a bill passed by the Legislature removing anti-prostitution language from Burlington’s city charter. At the time, supporters said the Burlington charter change would have no legal effect because state law forbid prostitution everywhere in Vermont, including Burlington.
S.54 was introduced February 6 and sent to Senate Judiciary. The lead sponsor is Dem/Progressive Sen. Tanya Vyhovsky of Chittenden County. Additional Sponsors are Sen. Martine Gulick (D-Chittenden), Wendy Harrison (D-Windham), Rebecca White (D-Windsor), and Larry Hart (R-Orange).
H.190 was introduced February 11 and sent to House Judiciary. The two bills have virtually identical wording. They would “repeal the prostitution laws that currently prohibit ‘indiscriminate sexual intercourse’ and consensual engagement in sex work for hire by adults while retaining prohibitions and felony criminal penalties for human trafficking of persons who are compelled through force, fraud, or coercion to engage in sex work.”
The House bill is sponsored by three Burlington legislators, Democrat Reps. Troy Headrick (lead sponsor), Kate Logan, and Barbara Rachelson, as well as Bradford Rep. Monique Priestley.
The bills explain that current prohibitions of prostitution laws ‘reflect the social mores of the early 1900s, criminalizing not only voluntary sex work but sexual activity outside marriage, and no longer reflect Vermont’s commitment to personal and bodily autonomy.
“Data has consistently shown that the criminalization of voluntary sex work is associated with increased risk of sexual and physical violence from 6 clients, domestic partners, or other parties; increased risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections; and a disruption of sex workers’ support networks, workplace safety, and risk reduction strategies, resulting in reduced physical and emotional health for sex workers.”
The bills would not create a legal, licensed framework for the prostitution industry, but would merely ban prostitution as a criminal act and attempt to provide safeguards against using minors as prostitutes and coercing prostitution by threats or other means, including withholding passports and immigration documents.
Similar attempts to legalize prostitution have been unsuccessfully attempted in the Legislature in recent years.