Legislation that we support

 

  • You can follow the bills that COYOTE RI supports and opposes in 2024, here
  • Find your local legislator here 
  • Immunity bill for sex workers, survivors & spa workers to report violent crimes. We support H7307 and Oppose H7165 & S2441, please sign the petition here and take the next steps here
  • Community United for Safety and Protection is fighting several bad bills in Alaska. This one they were able to get amended- HB 264 Child Trafficking Screening Amendments Descriptions
  • We oppose the PROTECT Act Could Require Removal of All Existing Porn Online Link
  • We Support Washington State Strippers in passing SB6105 Here is how you can take action. Link, Please sign on to support here
  • Six California State Assembly members are proposing to reinstate the ‘loitering with intent to commit prostitution’ (also known as ‘walking while trans’) law that was repealed by SB 357 only a year ago. Now AB 2034 seeks to make walking down the street a criminal offense again. Go log in to California’s state legislation letter portal and tell them No On AB 2034 

A N A C T RELATING TO ELIMINATING SEX TRAFFICKING AND IMPROVING PUBLIC SAFETY

Read more about bills we support here

RI PROSTITUTION IMMUNITY BILL DRAFT 2023 aka H6064  & RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES — COMMERCIAL SEXUAL ACTIVITY Link, COYOTE RI’s letter of support.  Click here for more information

COYOTE RI In Support of H6064 (Help Sex Workers Stop Sex Trafficking) This act would prohibit the arrest of any person who is engaged in commercial sexual activity or practicing massage without a license if they were a witness or victim of and, in good faith and in a timely manner, reported to law enforcement, the enumerated criminal offenses to include assault, sexual assault, homicide, robbery, larceny and the like.

COYOTE RI In Support of S892

VOTE YES on RI H6064

YES on RI H6064. Immunity Tool Kit link

 

 

 

 

 

SIGN PWSROT

 

 

 

 

Please Amend S0402 Basically the same as the H6064 Immunity bill expects it does not include Massage without a license and does not list what crimes can be reported

Please Amend H6140-  Basically the same as the H6064 Immunity bill expects it does not include Massage without a license and does not list what crimes can be reported

COYOTE RI in Support of S037/H5896, Sexual Assault Bill  This act would further define coercion so as to include sexual assault by a member of law enforcement who has the victim under arrest, in custody, or detained or by any person who has supervisory authority over the victim’s parole, probation or home confinement. This act would take effect upon passage.

 S037/H5896 Flyer

S037/H5896 Flyer

 

 

 

 

 

COYOTE RI In Support of EACA S32 and H5006  This act would provide for abortion coverage in the Medicaid program and repeal the abortion coverage exclusion for state employee insurance plans.S32 “The Equality in Abortion Coverage Act”

COYOTE RI in Support of H5426

COYOTE RI In Support of S360 & H5567, Repeal LEBOR

COYOTE RI In Support of S0617   establishes the restrictive housing oversight committee (“committee”) for the 2 purposes of monitoring the use of restrictive housing (“solitary confinement”), as well as disciplinary 3 and administrative confinement at the department of corrections.

COYOTE RI In Support of – H 5686  The Primary Care Takers Bill Requires sentencing court to consider whether the defendant is the parent of the child, or caregiver of the elderly, disabled, or terminally ill person whose well-being would be adversely affected by the person’s incarceration and if so, shall impose a non-jail sentence.

COYOTE RI In Support of H5563 No Cash Bail

COYOTE RI In Support of (S0409)  NO POLICE USE OF ROBOTS/DRONES THAT ARE ARMED OR LIKELY TO DAMAGE PEOPLE.

COYOTE RI in Support of H5847 . This act would create an income-sensitive tiered subsidy program to ensure that home 2 energy utility costs are affordable for eligible low-income households.

COYOTE RI In support of H5917  This act would establish The Rourke Act which creates a survivor support fund with an annual appropriation of not less than five million dollars ($5,000,000) for the survivors of domestic assault and prohibits any individual convicted of domestic assault from being within one hundred feet of the domestic assaults survivor’s residence, or if applicable, the survivor’s child’s school. This act would further declare that individuals who have been convicted of domestic violence are not permitted to own, possess or carry firearms.

COYOTE RI In Support of H5110 THE RI FIRST STEP ACT  This act would establish the Rhode Island first step program requiring the department of corrections (department) to assist offenders with reintegration into society, provide them with counseling, medical care, and education and provide for modification of imprisonment or relocation to pre-release confinement for elderly and terminally ill offenders

COYOTE RI in Support of H5149 Abolishes penalty of life without parole Abolishes the penalty of life without parole and amends/repeals all sections of general laws regulating prisoners serving a sentence of life without parole. It would have prospective and retroactive effects for any offense committed after January 1, 1991.

COYOTE RI In Support of (H-5362) (H-5580) (H-5760)  Housing bills

COYOTE RI in Support of House Bill No. 5266   (Permits all members of a public body who are aged sixty-five (65) years or over to participate in public meetings by telephone or electronic communication.)

COYOTE RI In Support of RI 5127.  (Directs the department of corrections to collect information from individuals entering its custody: sex, race, nativity (country of origin), religion, and level of education.

COYOTE RI In Support of H5226  This act would provide a streamlined adoption process for children born through assisted 2 reproduction and who need adoption to confirm, not establish, their legal parentage to protect them 3 against discrimination in all jurisdictions.

COYOTE RI in Support of H5359    “Would prohibit the family court from detaining any juvenile or committing any  juvenile, under the age of fourteen (14) years, to the training school, for any offense other than  murder, first-degree sexual assault, or an attempt to commit such offenses, and the court determines  that there is no other reasonable placement to ensure the safety of the juvenile and the general  public.”

_COYOTE RI In Support H5431 &  H5430  H5431: Wholesale drug prices can’t be higher than in Canada- H5430: import cheaper drugs from Canada

_COYOTE RI In Support H5422  “Limit young kids’ out-of-school suspensions; restorative justice”

COYOTE RI In Support of H5447 “Increases TDI & TCI”

COYOTE RI In Support of  H6087 & H5946 H5946: buyers of triplex apt buildings must do something about lead-based toxics & H6087: No application fees in looking for apartments

COYOTE RI in Support of H5571 & H 5511

COYOTE RI IN SUPPORT OF H5969_ H5970 & H5971

Title 42 State Affairs and Government Chapter 164 Address Confidentiality Program [Effective January 1, 2023.] R.I. Gen. Laws § 42-164-2

 

2023 California 

COYOTE RI in Support of AB 1726

 

2023 MA Bills

S.1046 / H.1758, S.945 / H.1683, H.1757, and S.913 / H.1640.

Tara Burns- COYOTE RI in support of MA S.1046 / H.1758, immunity bill

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script for contacting your legislators

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rhode Island Policy, Legislation & Media

  1. Equality in Abortion Coverage Act (EACA) (H5787/S0267)
  2. Equality in Abortion Coverage Act (EACA) H7442 | S2549
  3. EACA_2022_2 Sheet_Campaign
  4. Where do we go from here? After the Senate Judiciary Hearing for the EACA link 

 

  1. Is it time to legalize prostitution in RI [link]
  2. Rhode Island Senators Consider Two Paths To Decriminalizing Prostitution [link] April 5th, 2022
  3. Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing on S2233, S2617 & S2713 (April 5th, 2020)  [video]
  4. RI’s Bella Robinson fights to legalize prostitution, her profession at age 57 [link]
  5. S2713- Decriminalizes sex work and expands eligibility for expungement of related criminal records.
  6. SB 2713 TOOL KIT
  7. SB2713- Sign Up Form 

 

Thank you State Senator Cynthia Mendes for sponsoring the bill to decriminalize RI sex workers, and expunge their records. YOU ROCK!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ADVOCACY 101: HOW A BILL BECOMES A LAW [link]

ADVOCACY 101: 10 TIPS FOR TESTIFYING BEFORE A LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE [link]

RELATING TO ANTI-PROSTITUTION LAWS AND PUBLIC SAFETY Draft (3)

RI H5250 Study commission 2/28/22 [link]

MA (H. 1905 and S. 2030) An Act establishing a jail and prison construction moratorium

S2233  & H6637- Establishes criteria for the criminal offense of sexual assault when the victim is in the custody of a peace officer/provides that a person convicted of custodial sexual assault would face imprisonment for not more than 3 years. Recording link///////Written Testimony

Letter in Support of S2255, S2232, S2097, S2123, S2151, S2119 & S2257

Letter in support of S2007 & S2216

Letter in Support of House Bill No. 7141

H7086 Support letter with Amendment

Letter in support of H6637 with Amendment

Letter in Support of H7085 (FIRST STEP REDUCTION IN JAILING)

“COYOTE.RI is proud to speak out with the more than 30 groups in the Campaign for Equal Abortion Coverage to make it clear it is time to #PassTheEACA. No more abortion bans. @RISpeaker and @SenatorRuggerio, Act now! No more delays or discriminatory barriers to abortion!”

Make a call or send an email. Contact House Speaker Shekarchi and Senate President Ruggerio to say, “I am reaching out to express my support for the Equality in Abortion Coverage Act. Bans on health coverage for abortion are harmful and they need to go. Please, take action to pass the bill this year!”  

EACA-Campaign-Launch-Press-Statement-

H6637 Establishes criteria for the criminal offense of sexual assault when the victim is in the custody of a peace officer/provides that a person convicted of custodial sexual assault would face imprisonment for not more than 3 years. COYOTE letters of support for H6637

 

LET RI VOTE  H7100 and  S2007 

H7225 same day registration, will change the RI constitution, as our current constitution required folks to register at least 30 days before an election.

 

 

H6630 SURVEILLANCE WITH FAKE CELLPHONE TOWERS (H6630) A bill limits the use of portable fake cell towers (“stingrays”) to gather data from people’s cell phones (H6630).  Police often use these stingrays to identify cellphones in the area, to detect the cellphones’ locations, and even sometimes to get data from the cellphones.  The bill tries to ensure that courts have some oversight over the use of stingrays, although the bill has a drafting error that unintentionally allows police to continue using stingrays on their own without bothering to ask for court oversight.  What the bill says is that the police, or the Attorney General’s office, can ask the chief justice of the superior court for authorization to use a stingray, if a stingray is the least intrusive way of getting the information that the government is looking for. (Sponsored by Filippi, with Chippendale, Nardone, Knight, Fenton-Fung, Place)  COYOTE H6630 support letter with amendments

RELEASING REPORTS ON POLICE WRONGDOING (H6602) A bill says that reports by police departments’ Internal Affairs departments always count as public records (H6602).  If the bill passed, any report from any sort of investigation by an Internal Affairs department (which deals with wrongdoing by police) would be released when someone files a public records request, although the released report can omit “names, addresses and other personal identifiers” wherever releasing this personal info would be a “clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy”.  The bill is well-written, though if it somehow passed into law I would expect many police departments to attempt to ignore the law. H6602- COYOTE Support Letter

(H7085) “FIRST STEP” REDUCTION IN JAILING (H7085): The “RI First Step” bill takes various steps to reduce lengthy jail sentences in some cases (H7085).  It says before judges issue jail sentences, the judge has to consider the need for rehabilitation, treatment and training, as well as the defendant’s history and the seriousness of the crime.  If the law is changed to reduce the maximum sentence for a crime, people who’ve been sentenced already can ask to have their sentence reduced.  The bill makes it easier for prisoners to get released if they have a terminal illness, and it says that elderly prisoners who are not a danger to society can be released early if they’ve served two-thirds of their sentence.  The bill requires that the last part of a person’s sentence (no more than one year) should be in a halfway house restitution center rehab center or home confinement, to prepare them for reentry to free society.  The bill requires more education and training programs in prison.  All-female prisoners will get free tampons and menstrual pads, and they can’t be shackled at all during pregnancy and for 3 months after pregnancy.  On release, each prisoner will be given clothing and transportation home, and perhaps a few hundred dollars if they’re poor, as well as help in getting a driver’s license, social security card, and birth certificate if they don’t have one. (Sponsored by Lombardi, with Hull, Cassar, Morales, Batista) (H7085) COYOTE Support Letter

H7086 -ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL PROCEDURE — EXPUNGEMENT OF CRIMINAL RECORDS {LC3740/1} (Allows expungement of multiple felony convictions for non-violent felonies 20 years after sentence completed. H7086 COYOTE Support letter with Amendments

H7142– ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINALS — CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS — PAROLE {LC3374/1} (Allows an inmate’s immediate family to be notified of and attend a parole hearing.) H7142 COYOTE Support letter

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CA SA 357 Repeal Loitering for Intent to Engage in Sex Work

Letter in Support of IL (HB4527)

 

On July 1st, 2021 H5250 passed in the House (CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO STUDY ENSURING RACIAL EQUITY AND OPTIMIZING HEALTH AND SAFETY LAWS AFFECTING MARGINALIZED INDIVIDUALS)

Political Scene: From sex workers to shoreline access, there’s a legislative study– July 5th, 2021

 

COYOTE CALL TO ACTION

 

In Support of S0771

RI House Resolution 5250- Creating A Special Legislative Commission To Study Ensuring Racial Equity And Optimizing Health And Safety Laws Affecting Marginalized Individuals (creates 13 Member Special Legislative Commission To Study Health/safety Impact Of Optimizing Health/safety Laws Affecting Marginalized Individuals- Hearing set for 2/25/21 at 7 pm est, details here

Senate bill S0249   Sexual Assault-  A N A C T RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES – SEXUAL ASSAULT *** This act would establish criteria for the criminal offense of sexual assault when victim 1 is in the custody of a peace officer. The act would also provide that a person convicted of custodial 2 sexual assault would face imprisonment for not more than three (3) years

  RI (H5291)  NO CASH BAIL FOR MISDEMEANORS

RI Equality in Abortion Coverage Act (H 7618)

Rescue Rhode Island Act- 2021  [link]

S0016 – HARM REDUCTION/SAFE USE OF ILLEGAL DRUGS, 

S0317 and H5733: Establishing criteria for the criminal offense of sexual assault when the victim is in the custody of a peace officer and making it a felony with a minimum of 3-year imprisonment.

H5006, H5007, H5008, H5009, H5010, and H 5011, a package of bills being heard in the Rhode Island House Rules Committee today that would work to create a stronger, more engaged legislative process by changing rules around participation and ensure better transparency.

 Representative Carol Hagan McEntee House District 33’s bill to provide menstrual products in prisons and public schools.

Oregon- House Bill 3088would invalidate the state’s prostitution statutes, decriminalizing those engaged in selling sex, their customers, and third parties.

California SB 357 (Wiener) – Safer Streets for All

VT H.568

In March of 2020, LA HB 366, sponsored by Representative Mandie Landry, was referred to the Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice. It was paused shortly thereafter due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It will be reintroduced in the spring legislative session of 2021. This bill seeks to repeal certain prostitution-related offenses.

Coyote is in support HR7842 Study Commission

Coyote is in support of Rep. Selene Colburn bill- H.568, & H.569 to decriminalize sex work in VT

NH House Bill 1656– Relative to an act granting immunity from prosecution for prostitution for reporting a sexual assault.

 

Call To Action #YesonH5354- RI 2019- H5354: Creating a special legislative commission to study the health and safety impact of revising commercial sexual activity laws. Representative Anastasia P Williams will be holding a press release at the RI statehouse on March 3rd, 2020 to announce her reintroducing of this house resolution.

 Support of Senate Bill 317- RI-2019Establishing criteria for the criminal offense of sexual assault when the victim is in the custody of a peace officer and making it a felony with minimum 3-year imprisonment. Senator Sam Bell will be reintroducing this bill in 2020

Support House – H 5733-RI 2019-  the Reclassifying Drug Possession to a Misdemeanor (H5760/S0472)

Please support H 5863– Creates a new process with standards to be utilized when deciding whether an applicant’s past criminal contacts’ convictions should disqualify them from receiving a government-issued license

Supported H5125 – The Reproductive Privacy Act. 

Safe Roads And Mandatory Insurance RI (H5511 and S 153) 2019

Yes On RI  H5333 -an act that would allow prisoners who committed offenses prior to age 18 and were sentenced as adults to be eligible for parole after completing 15 years of their sentence. The act would not lengthen their parole eligibility should the prisoner be eligible for parole earlier than 15 years.

The Community United for Safety and Protection commends California for Senate Bill 233 and Hawaii for House Bill 1517, both based on Section 36 of Alaska’s SB 91 providing limited immunity from prostitution charges for victims or witnesses reporting heinous crimes.

Please support CA Senate Bill 233-2019

NH Primary Source: Proposal would authorize the study of legalized prostitution in NH -January 24th, 2019

RI SEXUAL ASSAULT IN CUSTODY BILL Amend Chapter 37 of Title 11 by adding the following section: § 11-37-8. Custodial sexual assault. (a) A person is guilty of custodial sexual assault if: (1) He or she engages in sexual penetration or sexual contact with another person; and (2) The accused is a peace officer as defined in § 12-7-21 and the victim is detained, in custody, under arrest, confined in a correctional or law enforcement facility, in a work release program, or on probation, parole or other form of conditional or supervised release; and (3) The peace officer (a) is responsible for effecting the detention, custody, arrest or confinement of the victim or maintaining the victim in custody, detention, arrest, confinement, or a work release program, or knows, or reasonably should know, that the victim is under such custody, detention, arrest, confinement, or in a work release program; or (b) has supervisory authority over the victim’s probation, parole or other form of conditional or supervised release, or has the authority to influence the terms, conditions, length of or fact of probation, parole or other form of conditional or supervised release; and (4) None of the circumstances delineated in §11-37-2 or §11-37-4 exist. (b) Every person who shall commit custodial sexual assault shall be subject to imprisonment for a period not to exceed three years. (c) Any person convicted under this section shall not be subject to the provisions of Chapter 37.1 of this Title. (d) It shall be an affirmative defense, to be proven by the defendant by a preponderance of the evidence, that the act of sexual penetration or sexual contact resulted from forcible compulsion by the other person. 1/2/19

ACLU files Rhode Island Supreme Court brief in support of Foxy Lady December 31st, 2018

“Project Access” Poster Campaign”- Reproductive Freedom Fighters!- July 3`st, 2018

Please support House Bill 7891 and Senate Bill 2567 to grant Driving Privileges to All Rhode Islanders. 

In Support of NH HB 287- AN ACT Establishing a Committee to Study Issues Related to Changing Prostitution Laws in New Hampshire.

(Left to right)

Bella Robinson,   Jill McCracken,  Siouxsie Q James,  Representative Elizabeth Edwards and Leslee Ann Petersen,

Decision – ESPLERP Challenge to California Prostitution Laws Jan 17th, 2018

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CSA Keypoint

??????? – ????? ??? ?????????? – Police can only ask once a youth under the age of 18 for identification and must accept any statement of that youth that they do not have a form of identification.

Police cannot photograph youth, with certain exceptions, and any photographs must be destroyed within 90 days, with exceptions. Police may not inquire about an individual’s immigration status, and any identification issued by a government outside the U.S. like a consular ID, foreign driver’s license, or passport, will be accepted the same as an ID from a U.S. government agency.

Only For Providence, Learn More @ providencecommunitysafetyact.wordpress.com

ESPLERP V GASCON Where we are, where we are going and what we need. JAN/2018

 

 

Jan 9th, 2018

After 2 years of hard work. HB 287, establishing a committee to study issues related to changing prostitution laws in New Hampshire, passes the House. Now to get it passed in the Senate and then sex workers will finally get a seat at the table.  Major props to Rep Elizabeth Edwards-Appell

Alaska House bill 112 – 2017- testimony

16-15927 Erotic Svc Provider Legal Edu. v. George Gascon- Oct 19th, 2017

Appeals court considers challenge to prostitution laws. Judge: ‘Why should it be illegal to sell something that you can give away for free?’ BY DAN RAILE – OCTOBER 19, 2017

More coverage here 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NH #HB287 #DecrimNow- Sept 5th 2017

We are so grateful to the courageous activists who came to Concord today to support HB 287 at one of its subcommittee hearings. This bill would create a study committee to examine the costs and benefits of alternative legal approaches to sex work.

1st photo- From left to right: Reverend Sarah Carpenter, me, Laurel, Bella Robinson from COYOTE RI, Eris Vayle and Melanie Dante from the International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers, and Professor Joelle Ryan of UNH.

How to Support NH HB 287 (2017)

URGENT! RECEIVED THIS FROM RI-ACLU TODAY:  June 25th, 2017 

There is an important bill regarding pregnant women that need the attention of as many women and allies as possible. The legislation seeks to restrict pregnant prisoners in their third trimester from being shackled when they’re being transported from and to the court.

The Senate version (S 282) has already passed the Senate. It was just introduced in the House by Rep. Ajello (H 6358)  Since this is the last week of the session we KNOW this will be getting a hearing and hopefully a vote in the next couple of days.

The bills  Senate and House Testimony can be found here:

Community Safety Act

Providence City Hall Extraordinary turnout in support of the Community Safety Act at Providence City Hall By Steve Ahlquist on April 11, 2017

Community Safety Act passed out of committee for full City Council vote By Steve Ahlquist on April 18, 2017

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

January 18th, 2017, Bella Robinson, executive director of (Coyote RI ) takes on the NH Criminal Justice and Safety Committee in support of NH HB287  (around minute 56)

Ridiculous Cops Oppose HB287, the Prostitution Study Committee Bill

 

Rep. Elizabeth Edwards, a Democrat from Manchester, wants to create a study committee to look into decriminalizing sex work. She knows it’s controversial.

Subcommittee on Creating Committee to Study Prostitution Decriminalization on January 28th, 2017

We need your help to get HB 112 passed!     Jan 9th, 2017

The bill, which introduced today, expands Alaska’s current sexual assault statute to prohibit peace officers from sexually penetrating or having sexual contact with those they are investigating.

Currently, it is only illegal for police to sexually penetrate those who are in their custody. The bill will close a loophole that currently leaves it up to individual police departments to decide whether peace officers should have sex with sex workers or sex trafficking victims during prostitution stings, but also extend protection to other crime victims, witnesses, or others under active investigation.

Read news coverage about HB 112 here and listen to Rachel’s story and sign the petition here.

Currently, HB 112 is waiting to be heard in House Judiciary and State Affairs. Send your letter of support NOW to Representative.Matt.Claman@akleg.gov and copy us at sextraffickingalaska@gmail.com so we can make sure your letters make it into the packet of support. Be sure to open your letter by asking legislators to support HB 112 and close your letter by asking them to vote for HB 112.

Sex Trafficking in Alaska Blog here 

Please make your donation here

Coyote RI Letter of Support for HB 112 here 

 XXX

 

We need your help to get HB 1532 and HB 1533 passed!     Jan 16th, 2017

More info here 

For more information contact Tracy Ryan,

1658 Liholiho St #205, Honolulu, HI 96822   (808) 534-1846
tracyar@hawaiiantel.net <mailto:tracyar@hawaiiantel.net

https://legiscan.com/HI/text/HB1533/id/1307682

People can sign up here for a password allowing them to submit online testimony on bills that have been scheduled for hearings.  A pre-written document can easily be attached and uploaded at the sight.  It is advisable to note the name of the organization or individual in clear letters at the top of the testimony along with the word testimony.  This should be followed by referencing the bill # and the date, time, committee name, and room number relating to the hearing.  It should also clearly state support or oppose or concerns near the beginning.  Oral testimony can also be done at the hearing.  One should not read the testimony that has already been submitted as the legislators will have that in front of them and will be annoyed
listening to someone simply reading it.

What is: ESPLERP v Gascon May 25th, 2016

New Hampshire May See Decriminalization of Sex Work March 2nd, 2016

N.H. First U.S. State to propose a bill to decriminalize prostitution press conference NH HB 1614

Courageous state representative Elizabeth Edwards in New Hampshire has put forth a bill HB-1614 to decriminalize adult consensual prostitution! This unprecedented move inspired dedicated sex worker rights activists to travel to N.H. To speak with state representatives and participate in the hearing and press conferences. Activists representing several,  sex worker organizations were present. , Bella Robinson of COYOTE Rhode Island and ESPLERP (Erotic Service Providers Legal Education and Research Project), and Phoebe Jones from the Global Women’s Strike and Rachel West from the prostitutes collective, took questions from the press and government officials present. This clip features Bella Robinson, a long-time erotic service provider and activist.

 

Rhode Island Human Rights Activist To Testify In Support Of New Hampshire Decriminalization of Prostitution Legislation 1/28/2016

First-Ever Bill to Repeal Prohibition On Prostitution – Hearing and Press Conference

Published on Jan 30, 2016

Elizabeth Edwards is a Free State Project early mover and elected democrat state representative who has heroically put forth the only proposed repeal of the prohibition on prostitution

 

Published on Mar 11, 2016

Senator Elizabeth Edwards testimony during the house vote on HB-1614. This is the entire testimony and vote presented on March 10, 2016, during the house session. There were some interesting developments regarding this bill as Edwards points out at the beginning of her testimony. An unorthodox meeting had to be held after documents of a previous vote had been lost. A video record and photograph of the document was not accepted by the committee as evidence of the previous meeting. She notes resistance to the bill by the majority whip before any evidence or testimony had been presented and states “evidence should proceed conclusions”. Despite all of this- one could say that the bill almost made it thru, losing by only 7 votes. There were 145 who would have passed it, 152 were against it. That is not a landslide loss by any stretch and is a good sign that with another round and more work, NH could be one of the first states to decriminalize thru a house bill.

We are very grateful to the Senators who carried and supported this bill. It is a courageous and compassionate action.

Prostitution Decrim Debated by New Hampshire Lawmakers by Elizabeth Nolan Brown Feb 1st, 2016 

NH HB 1614 Action Team

 From Left to right Bella Robison (Coyote RI) NH Representative Elizabeth EdwardsRachel West from the US prostitutes collective and Phoebe Jones from the Global Women’s Strike.