[LS Tribune] Democrats hold town hall, clear the air on their police stance and sex work legalization bill fails to pass

[books]

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LATEST | POLITICS

Democrats hold town hall, clear the air on their police stance and sex work legalization bill fails to pass

A busy week in state politics sees newly inaugurated Democrat senators reach out to the community and a conclusion to the sex work legalization bill 

 

 

By PHOEBE HOLTER

 

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LOS SANTOS - With the current senate session reaching its conclusion, election season fast approaching and a flurry of new Senators being inaugurated from both sides of the aisle over the past month, community outreach for the state’s politicians has never been so important.

 

Town halls, like the one held by the San Andreas Democrats in downtown’s Blue Lion on Sunday, provide a perfect opportunity for those involved in local politics to touch base with their electorate and hear their issues directly.  For newcomers to the State Senate, like Democratic Senators Edward Ulf and Gabriella Beltran, events like Sunday’s also provide a perfect avenue for increasing their public profile which may prove crucial as voters head to the polls.

 

Senator Gabriella Beltran (left), Chairman and Senator Marty Haney (center) and Senator Edward Ulf (right, on podium)

 

But beyond the newcomers like 24 year old Senator Beltran, Sunday’s event saw the attendance of many party members including Chairman of the San Andreas Democrats and former State Superintendent of Public Instruction Marty Haney who has proceeded with a series of structural reforms to the party since taking over as chairman. 

 

Addressing the concerns raised at events like town halls and other public feedback sessions is important for any party facing a hotly contested election and presumably this is why Democratic Party Secretary Alexander Strenge released a statement addressing concerns in regards to the party’s image (full statement). 

 

 

San Andreas Democratic Party statement on Facebrowser

 

 “Members of our party and our public officials now have to face personal attacks that even portray them as unpatriotic and anarchistic,” Strenge’s commented. “These denunciations must stop immediately.”

 

"The accusation that we do not want to support our police officers, in whatever authority they may work, I reject most firmly. This dispute arose primarily with introducing the "Abolition of Death Penalty Act of 2021", which was passed by the State Senate on August 8, 2021. Such a bill, which is an excellent subject for political debate, must not be used as an instrumentalization against institutions as such." - San Andreas Democratic Party Secretary Alexander Strenge in a statement

 

While the controversial abolition of the Death Penatly Act referenced by Strenge passed at the start of last month, a final senate vote in State Capitol brought closure to one of this session’s most contentious bills: the State Legalization of Sex Work Bill of 2021. 

 

A view of the State Senate chamber

 

With Senate attendance split evenly down party lines and Secretary of State Guillermo Perez absent and therefore not able to cast a tie breaking vote in the same fashion he did with the Abolition of Death Penalty Act of 2021, Senator Valeria Reyes’ (D) bill seemed to be doomed from the start of the session barring a shock cross party vote. 

 

But no such vote came from Republican Senate veteran Frank Ernst (outspoken in his opposition to the bill in previous interviews with LSNN) nor the newly inaugurated Republican Senators Noah Wade and Raul Montez. 

 

 

"As we all know by now, San Andreas is rife with corruption and organized crime. Senator Reyes' bill accomplishes nothing; it only strengthens sex trafficking organizations. Removing the pimping charge; how can we expect our law enforcement agencies to tackle this without the teeth to do so? This bill would be a free giveaway to organized crime groups and pimps." - Republican Senator Noah Wade

 

Following a lengthy debate in the chamber, which included Senator Wade (R) reading a statement from Los Santos County Sheriff Joseph Cline declaring his opposition to the bill (claiming that legalization would make it more difficult to target human traffickers), proceedings ended with a three to three tie vote with no tiebreaker. This saw the bill which has sparked numerous controversies including the failed attempted impeachment of Senator Frank Ernst from his role as President Pro-Tempore due to disputes over the technicalities of the bill's passage through the Senate, fail to pass. 

 

Sex work remains a matter for law enforcement as legalization prevents any chance at regulation

 

Despite its illegality, the sex industry is still visible in the state and presents a persistent problem for law enforcement. “We've come to a point where sex work in fact is at an all time's high, “ Senator Reyes commented during the debate. “The situation is drastic.”

 

"Just like the ban on liquor which worsened our country, this law is worsening our country and state as well. Banning is not the way, regulation is.

 

Let's be true to ourselves. What is the situation with sex work right now, in our city? 'Escort companies' are operating entirely freely and I haven't seen anything being done against it." - Democratic Senator Valeria Reyes

 

It is unlikely that this is the last the state has heard from those advocating for the decriminalization or legalization of sex work, however Friday’s defeat is undoubtedly a significant set back for those involved in the movement. 

 

Crowds converse at the Blue Lion

 

Whether or not similar legislation will be revisited in the upcoming Senate session isn’t at this time obvious. Both parties are building their platforms and campaign material. In terms of campaigning Republicans have not publicly announced any local events in the same vein as Sunday's Democrat town hall. However, it is safe to presume that as the election approaches voters will be seeing more of the likes of Senators Jonathan Spencer, Noah Wade, Rudy Benson and as well as their Democrat colleagues as they hit the campaign trail. 

 

 

 

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(( /banktransfer amount Phoebe Holter LST Donation ))

 

 

What are your thoughts on the town hall at the Blue Lion, comments made against Democratic senators or the sex legalization bill failing to pass? Share them below.

 

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Edited September 11, 2021 by books

[Illexus]

Username: AStrenge

Comment: Thank you for your attendance, Miss Holter! However, allow me one remark: Chairman Haney is no longer the Superintendent, but a State Senator 😉

 

[knppel]

Username: TheRealCarrySaunders

Comment: A senator that cannot explain us why we can't vote either but hey let's not go there and just pretend things are fine the way they are as we always have!

[NexusExodus]

Username: HPSauce

Comment: everyone in these photos look like they have fetal alcohol syndrome 

[SouthLandLA]

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Edited September 1, 2021 by SouthLandLA