| R 340 |
| 2021 -- H 5250 SUBSTITUTE A Enacted 07/01/2021 |
| H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N |
| CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO STUDY ENSURING RACIAL EQUITY AND OPTIMIZING HEALTH AND SAFETY LAWS AFFECTING MARGINALIZED INDIVIDUALS |
Introduced By: Representatives Williams, Ajello, Vella-Wilkinson, Alzate, Henries, and Morales |
| Date Introduced: January 29, 2021 |
| WHEREAS, There has been significant research on the safety and health impact of laws |
| specifically related to violence, exploitation, stigma, human trafficking and sexual health, but |
| more needs to be done analyzing the data; and |
| WHEREAS, These laws disproportionately impact women, transgender individuals, and |
| people of color; and |
| WHEREAS, Police treatment and behavior of marginalized and targeted communities, |
| especially Black people and transgender women, is being highlighted and addressed throughout |
| our Nation and the State of Rhode Island, and it is imperative upon us to ensure justice and |
| accountability in the way our laws impact our citizens; and |
| WHEREAS, There has been a documented increase in exploitation and violence against |
| people in the sex industry in Rhode Island since the passage of federal legislation |
| FOSTA/SESTA; and |
| WHEREAS, A newly-published meta-analysis of 134 studies, spanning many nations and |
| published over a 28-year period, showed increased violence and incidence of STIs in jurisdictions |
| with repressive police practices; and |
| WHEREAS, A 2017 study, conducted by Baylor University's Scott Cunningham and |
| Manisha Shah of the University of California Los Angeles, published in the Review of Economic |
| Studies found that during 2003 through 2009, while indoor prostitution was still decriminalized in |
| Rhode Island, the number of rapes diminished by 31 percent and the statewide incidence of |
| gonorrhea among women diminished by 39 percent; now, therefore be it |
| RESOLVED, That a special legislative commission be and the same is hereby created |
| consisting of thirteen (13) members: two (2) of whom shall be members of the House, to be |
| appointed by the Speaker of the House; one of whom shall be from the organization COYOTE- |
| RI, to be appointed by the commission Chairperson; one of whom shall be from the organization |
| Amnesty International, to be appointed by the commission Chairperson; two (2) of whom shall be |
| representatives of organizations serving populations disproportionately impacted by the |
| criminalization of commercial sex, with priority given to organizations focused on improving |
| public health, supporting survivors of violence and sexual assault, and civil rights organizations, |
| to be appointed by the commission Chairperson; one of whom shall be the Director of the |
| Department of Health, or designee; one of whom shall be an attorney from the Rhode Island |
| Public Defender's Office, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House; one of whom shall be the |
| Rhode Island Attorney General, or designee; one of whom shall be from the Brown University |
| Center for the Study of Slavery and Justice, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House; two (2) |
| of whom shall be individuals that have engaged in commercial sex, to be appointed by the |
| commission Chairperson; and one of whom shall be the President of the Rhode Island Police |
| Chief's Association, or designee. |
| In lieu of any appointment of a member of the legislature to a permanent advisory |
| commission, a legislative study commission, or any commission created by a General Assembly |
| resolution, the appointing authority may appoint a member of the general public to serve in lieu |
| of a legislator, provided that the majority leader or the minority leader of the political party which |
| is entitled to the appointment consents to the appointment of the member of the general public. |
| The purpose of said commission shall be to make a comprehensive study and provide |
| recommendations on the health and safety impact of revising laws related to commercial sexual |
| activity, identifying the methods of human trafficking and exploitation to develop strategies to |
| reduce these activities, and ensuring accountability in the treatment of marginalized and targeted |
| communities by police. |
| Forthwith upon passage of this resolution, the members of the commission shall meet at |
| the call of the Speaker of the House and organize and shall select a chairperson from among the |
| legislators. |
| Vacancies in said commission shall be filled in like manner as the original appointment. |
| The membership of said commission shall receive no compensation for their services. |
| All departments and agencies of the state shall furnish such advice and information, |
| documentary and otherwise, to said commission and its agents as is deemed necessary or |
| desirable by the commission to facilitate the purposes of this resolution. |
| The Speaker of the House is hereby authorized and directed to provide suitable quarters |
| for said commission; and be it further |
| RESOLVED, That the commission shall report its findings and results to the House of |
| Representatives on or before May 31, 2023, and said commission shall expire on June 30, 2023. |
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| LC000038/SUB A |
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