Brief Description: Prohibiting sellers of travel from promoting travel for sex tourism.

Sponsors: Senators Fraser, Kohl-Welles, Deccio, Fairley, Mulliken, Prentice, Roach, Honeyford, McAuliffe, Keiser, Regala, Delvin, Franklin, Shin, Sheldon, Berkey, Rasmussen, Haugen, Thibaudeau, Kline and Parlette.

Senate Committee on Labor, Commerce, Research & Development
House Committee on Commerce & Labor

Background: The sex industry involves sexual exploitation of people, including activities related to prostitution, pornography, sex tourism, and other commercial sexual services.

Currently, there is no law that specifically prohibits sellers of travel from organizing, facilitating, or promoting sex tourism.

Summary: A person commits the offense of promoting travel for prostitution if the person knowingly sells or offers to sell travel services that include or facilitate travel for the purpose of engaging in what would be considered patronizing a prostitute or promoting prostitution, if occurring in Washington. This offense is a class C felony.

No seller of travel is to promote travel for prostitution or sell or advertise travel services for the purposes of: engaging in a commercial sex act; offering sex acts as an enticement for tourism; or facilitating the availability of sex acts or escorts.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate      47   0
House      98   0   (House amended)
Senate      48   0   (Senate concurred)

Effective: June 7, 2006