Title: An act relating to prohibiting sellers of travel from promoting travel for sex tourism.

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.

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Labor, Commerce, Research & Development: 1/30/06 [DP].

Passed Senate: 2/13/06, 47-0.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON LABOR, COMMERCE, RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

Majority Report: Do pass.Signed by Senators Kohl-Welles, Chair; Franklin, Vice Chair; Parlette, Ranking Minority Member; Honeyford and Keiser.

Staff: Alison Mendiola (786-7483)

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 of Bill: 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 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 ability of sex acts or escorts.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Committee/Commission/Task Force Created: No.

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

Testimony For: Sexual exploitation of women and girls is alive and well in many parts of the world, including our country, resulting in economic bondage. This bill is a small step to provide a way for the state to reduce the demand for such travel.

Testimony Against: None.

Who Testified: PRO: Senator Karen Fraser, prime sponsor.