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Communications Division
Anti-Prostitution Bill Clears Committees
Legislation aimed at cleaning up neighborhoods overrun with prostitutes, pimps and customers has won the approval of both a Senate subcommittee and full committee and is headed to the full Senate for a vote. That’s according to Senator Keith Leftwich. The South Oklahoma City Senator said he and House of Representatives co-author Al Lindley are gratified their colleagues are taking this problem seriously. “I can’t say it enough. This is not a victimless crime. We’ve had young children walking home from school propositioned by men looking for prostitutes. The ground has been littered with needles, syringes and other disgusting evidence of what’s been going on. These citizens want their streets and their neighborhoods cleaned up, and we intend to do that,” said Senator Leftwich. Part of the focus of the legislation is to make the business of prostitution too expensive for those involved. Among the changes in state law the bill would make:
“In addition fines for customers would be raised to $3,000 for a first offense and $6,000 for subsequent offenses. The bill would also make prostitution and pimping within 1,000 feet of a school or church a felony. This is a serious crime, and we mean to make the penalties just as serious,” said Representative Lindley. “Obviously, none of these changes by themselves
will make the problem go away. I want to give credit to the neighborhood
associations and Oklahoma County Sheriff John Wetsel’s office for helping
step up patrols in the area. It’s made an impact already. But hopefully
with this additional legislation, we can finally drive these criminals
out of our neighborhoods for good,” said Senator Leftwich. For more information contact: |
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