OLYMPIA, Wash. --
A bill to prohibit Washington states travel agencies from promoting
travel for sex tourism purposes was approved 47-0 on the Senate
floor Feb. 13 and now moves to the
House.
The proposal makes
it a felony to promote travel for prostitution and states that the
seller is committing the felony if he or she knowingly sells or
offers to sell services that include travel for the purpose of
prostitution or if they provide or purport to provide access to sex
escorts or sexual services.
Sellers of travel
were not among participants in a Senate committee hearing on the
proposal last month.
The measure has been
on a fast track since its introduction in mid-January. To become
law during this session, it must pass the House by March 9, when
the session ends.
To contact
the reporter who wrote this article, send e-mail to Nadine Godwin
at [email protected].