State Representative Charlie Meier of Okawville has announced he’s collecting petition signatures for residents who oppose a recent legislative proposal that seeks to legalize prostitution in Illinois.
Democratic lawmakers have introduced a bill to decriminalize the exchange of money for sex among consenting adults. Those who support the bill say it will allow sex workers to operate safely with legal protections. The bill does not remove criminal penalties for sex traffickers or those who abuse sex workers.
Meier fears the threat to women and young girls will skyrocket if penalties for prostitution are eliminated. He also forsees an increase of sexual assault and human trafficking stemming from the proposal.
Meier has started a petition on his website for residents to express their opposition to legalized prostitution. He hopes to be able to present the 109th District’s opposition to this “dangerous legislation” to the legislators who support this movement, so they can “see that their agenda has no business in Southern Illinois.”
Meier’s petition to oppose the legalization of prostitution in Illinois can be found at the following link: https://www.ilhousegop.org/meier_no_to_legal_prostitution_petition