SENATE BILL REPORT

                  2SSB 5236

                As Passed Senate, March 9, 1995

Title:  An act relating to intervention services for persons involved in prostitution.

Brief Description:  Providing a comprehensive treatment project for persons involved in prostitution.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Senators Kohl, Hargrove, Long, Franklin, Prentice, Spanel and Fraser).

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Human Services & Corrections:  1/24/95, 2/21/95 [DPS].

Ways & Means:  3/2/95, 3/3/95 [DP2S].

Passed Senate, 3/9/95, 46-1.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES & CORRECTIONS

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5236 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

  Signed by Senators Hargrove, Chair; Franklin, Vice Chair; Fairley, Kohl, Long, Moyer, Palmer, Prentice, Schow and Smith.

Staff:  Dennis Martin (786-7403)

Background:  A variety of problems contribute to a person's involvement in prostitution activities.  These problems include drug and alcohol abuse, sexual abuse, psychological abuse, physical violence, lack of vocational skills, and housing instability.  While some services are available to address individual problems, Washington does not have a coordinated system providing services to assist prostitutes to take responsibility for their own lives, to alter their lifestyle and thereby escape prostitution.

Prostitutes are often repeat offenders with a history of incarceration.  This repetitive cycle of incarceration places both an economic and services burden on the local criminal justice system.

Summary of Bill:   A grant program is established in the Department of Community, Trade, and Economic Development.  The program enhances funding for prostitution prevention and intervention services.  Various groups may apply for a grant.  Funding for the grant programs is provided through the creation of the prostitution prevention and intervention account, private donations, and other funds appropriated by the Legislature.  The department is limited to 5 percent of the grant program for administrative overhead and grant supervision.

Community networks may include funding for prostitution intervention activities in the network plan and apply for a grant to the department.

Persons convicted of prostitution-related crimes under state law or a local ordinance are assessed a fee for the purpose of prostitution prevention and intervention activities.  The fees may be waived by the court if the court finds the person does not have the ability to pay.  The fees are collected by the clerk of the court and distributed to the prostitution prevention and intervention account.

A court may require, as a condition of probation, that persons convicted of prostitution attend a prostitution intervention and counseling program.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Requested on January 16, 1995.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  Providing services to get prostitutes to leave prostitution will reduce the costs of recycling persons through the legal system.  Efforts need to be made at the state and local level to provide comprehensive services.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  PRO:  Patience Martin; Rev. Douglas Heck, President, Urban Pipeline, Pastor, City Foursquare Church; David Heck, Director, Urban Pipeline; Ken Stark, DSHS/DASA; Laura E. Edwards, Seattle Women's Commission; Debra Boyer, UW; Jody Davis, UP and OUT.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS

Majority Report:  That Second Substitute Senate Bill No. 5236 be substituted therefor, and the second substitute bill do pass.

  Signed by Senators Rinehart, Chair; Loveland, Vice Chair; Bauer, Cantu, Drew, Fraser, Gaspard, Hargrove, Long, McDonald, Moyer, Pelz, Sheldon, Snyder, Spanel, Sutherland, West, Winsley and Wojahn.

Staff:  Steve Jones (786-7440)

Testimony For:  The bill establishes a comprehensive program to end the repeated recycling of prostitutes through the criminal justice system, at a high cost to taxpayers.  There are no viable treatment alternatives to help prostitutes.  Many of them would like to become economically self-sufficient without reliance on prostitution.  Public and private agencies can help former prostitutes with problems such as domestic violence and drug abuse.  Housing assistance, counseling, drug rehabilitation, vocational education, and job placement services can be provided with help from the grant program established by this bill.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Senator Jeanne Kohl, prime sponsor (pro); Jody Davis, UP and OUT (pro); Mary Williams, UP and OUT (pro); Rev. Doug Heck, City Foursquare Church (pro).