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House panel advances bill to boost buyer penalties, direct fees to survivor services and change treatment of people engaged in prostitution
Summary
The House Community Safety Committee on Feb. 3 voted 5–4 to report out a substitute to House Bill 25 26 after adopting an amendment that adds survivor referrals and widens the definition of patronizing. Supporters said the measure will protect survivors and fund services; opponents warned it risks decriminalizing activity without adding guaranteed services and could hamper enforcement.
The House Community Safety Committee on Feb. 3 voted to report out a substituted version of House Bill 25 26, a measure that renames and restructures prostitution-related offenses and directs most fee revenue to survivor-led services.
The substitute, H3308.1, renames the offense to 'patronizing a person for prostitution,' makes first and second convictions gross misdemeanors and a third or subsequent conviction a class C felony, and directs 98% of the revenue from assessed fees to community-based, survivor-led organizations, according to committee staff. The substitute also contains an emergency clause with an effective date of April 1, 2026.
During executive…
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