SPRINGFIELD - Illinois could become the first state to fully decriminalize sex work among consenting adults, under a new proposal introduced by two state lawmakers.
The legislation, unveiled Monday by State Sen. Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago) and State Rep. Will Guzzardi (D-Chicago), seeks to remove criminal penalties for adults engaged in consensual paid sex. It would also expunge arrest and conviction records for sex workers, establish a sex workers’ bill of rights, and create protections against abuses by law enforcement.
Currently, Illinois law classifies prostitution as a misdemeanor, with penalties for both sex workers and their clients. The proposed measure would not alter existing laws that make solicitation of minors a felony.
If enacted, Illinois would go further than any other state in decriminalizing sex work. While Nevada allows prostitution in licensed brothels in certain counties, and Maine recently decriminalized the sale of sex but not its purchase, no state has fully decriminalized the industry as Illinois lawmakers are advocating.
Supporters of the legislation, including advocacy groups such as Equality Illinois and the American Civil Liberties Union, argue that decriminalization is critical to improving safety and access to resources for sex workers, particularly for marginalized communities. Transgender individuals, they say, are disproportionately affected by violence within the industry.
"Seventy-five percent of all sex workers will experience sexual violence during their careers," Brian Johnson, CEO of Equality Illinois, told Axios. "Nearly two-thirds of transgender people killed in the past 15 years were sex workers."
A study published in the American Journal of Public Health estimates that 45% to 75% of sex workers in Illinois will encounter violence while working. Advocates argue that fear of arrest often prevents workers from reporting abuse, creating an environment in which perpetrators operate with impunity.
Critics of the proposal, however, contend that decriminalization could lead to harmful consequences.
"Taking advantage of the super-majority in both chambers, these Democrats want ‘private choices’ about the use of one's body to be a civil right protected by law," said David Smith, executive director of the Illinois Family Institute. "This flawed thinking will only increase incidents of rape, assault and murder."
Smith further described prostitution as “inherently immoral,” arguing that it objectifies and exploits individuals involved, treating them as consumable products rather than human beings. He also warned that decriminalization could empower the criminal underworld and fuel demand for sex-trafficked victims, including children.
Under current Illinois law, individuals convicted of prostitution can face up to one year in jail and fines. Critics of the existing system say it drives the industry underground, leaving workers vulnerable to exploitation and unable to access legal protections afforded to other professions.
The proposed legislation also seeks to modernize state statutes by removing what advocates describe as dehumanizing language. Additionally, it would ensure that court records related to consensual sex work are automatically sealed.
While proponents view the bill as a step toward addressing systemic inequities and violence, opponents argue that decriminalization could exacerbate existing problems. The proposal’s introduction marks the beginning of what is expected to be a contentious debate in Springfield as Illinois considers whether to become the first state to adopt comprehensive decriminalization of sex work.
The students named below earned recognition for their academic performance and attention to excellence at Unity High School. Congratulations to each on their exceptional scholastic effort in the first semester.
Seniors ~
High Honor: Lindy Bates; Molly Baxley; Kolton Black; Paige Brewer; Noah Bryant; Elle Cheely; Madelyn Darnall; Jordan Daugherty; Frankie Davis; Emily Decker; Ashlyn Denney; Estella Dodd; Kade Dubson; Hunter Eastin; Catharine Ford; Paige Garretson; Kadence Goff; Sophia Hartke; Lauren Hellmer; Caleb Hoewing; Dallas Hollingsworth; Wyatt Huffstutler; Alex Mowrer; Brady Parr; Riley Petkus; Camryn Reedy; Rylee Reifsteck; Nolan Remole; Ashley Rennels; Lydia Rossi; Maegan Rothe; Savanna Sellers; Lauren Shaw; Tsihon Shotton; Daniel Stein; Joseph Tempel; Avery Watson; Gavin Weaver; McKinley Weller; Tessah Williams; Nolan Wishall; and Logan Zumbahlen.
Honor: Jenna Adkins; Avery Alagna; Emmerson Bailey; Sophia Beckett; Brianna Blakley; Holden Brazelton; Michael Bromley; Bentten Cain; Keegan Cenzano, Josephine Cler; Ava Davis; Jaden Dene; Chloey Duitsman; Piper Farney; Ava Fenter; Sophia Frye; Alexis Gady; Faith Hall; McKenzie Hart; Kaden Inman; Andrew King; Gracie Meharry; Makayla Nonman; Mary OBryan; Ryan Pickett; Rami Ramahi; Garrett Richardson; Ryan Rink; Ryan Robinson; Braden Roderick; Brock Schlittler; and Grant Steinman.
Juniors ~
High Honor: Anna Amias; Aria Battaglia; Mylie Castle; Cameryn Cobb; Kaylee Cooke; Chloe Cousins; Eli Crowe; Ella Darnall; Callie Ellars; Camden Fairbanks; Margaret Garcier; Isabel Grob; Kenley Harris; Caden Hensch; Lucas Hood; Jaxon Jett; Miles Johnson; Cameron Kaiser; Faith Lampe; Kallista Lancaster; Mylie Loftsgaard; Claire Meharry; Deakin Moore; Isaac Neverman; Brody Osterbur; Harry Polonus; Dallas Porter; Mackenzie Pound; Katie Ruggieri; Vanna Schriefer; Hunter Shike; Annalise Shunk; Shelby Smith; Caden Stierwalt; Ginna Stierwalt; Madelyn Stierwalt; Emma Swisher; Carter Tiemann; Bailey Tompkins; Evan Vlahovich; and Lucille Wiesbrook.
Honor: Ryan Akers; Maddix Buchanan; Savanna Cruz; Natalia Cunningham; Abram Davidson; Shyenne Eaton; Crewe Eckstein; Olivia Egelston; Dane Eisenmenger; Tanner Gallivan; Collin Graven; Brayden Henry; Tyler Henry; Sophia Hewerdine; Logan Jeurissen; Anna Kuhns; Johanna Langley; Maxwell McCabe; Phoenix Molina; Mason ONeill; Analea Popovics; Andrew Ray; Ty Rodems; Jillian Schlittler; Kamden Schuckman; Liana Sheets-Cowan; Anna Vasey; Alexander Wells; Paula Wilson; Shelby Zoch; and Claire Zorns.
Sophomores ~
High Honor: Dominic Baxley; Alex Bromley; Clare Bryant; Caleb Coy; Braedyn Dalton; Lillian Daly, Addison Davis; Danika Eisenmenger; Allison Fenter; Reese Frye; Journey Gabbard; Bailee Gadeken; Olivia Hall; Colton Harmon; Avery Kamradt; Kathryn Knoll; Cash McCann; Landrey Mohr; Emily Osterbur; Adam Reedy; Ethan Schaefer; Allyson Shaw; Isaac Siegwald; Evalyn Skibbe; Piper Staley; Grace Tempel; Leah Watson; Elizabeth Wayne; Grace Wherley; Rylan Wolf; Addison Wyatt; and Kendal Zerrusen.
Honor: Juan Acosta Toro; Grace Bickers; Wyatt Blanchard; Paige Bradley; Emma Carrington; Cadence Chandler; Noah Conde; Hudson DeHart; Austin Drewes; Aidan Ellis; Elizabeth Farney; Natalie Haas; Walker Hall; Everest Harper; Dustin Harris; Broderick Irwin; Hailey Keck; Rush Little; Audrey McDaniel; Nicholas Montgomery; Brooklyn Mumm; Miles Owens; Sadie Polonus; Evan Puckett; Max Rossi; Gabrielle Spanglo; Jacob Ward; and Maggie Weckle.
Freshmen ~
High Honor: Patrick Baxley; Beckam Brown; Sadie Carpenter; Jackson Cheely; Soren Davis; Andrew Donovan; Tessa Durham; Tyson Durham; Cecelia Easter; Dillon Ellars; Kaylee Estes; Carson Fairbanks; Reagan Fisher; Jordan Harmon; Roman Hastings; Noah Hettinger; Tessa Horn; Karleigh Jamison; Lincoln Johnson; Joseph Kamradt; Khison Kern; Tatum Kirby; Bryan Kleiss; Izabella Mallast; Nolan Meharry; Dalton Moose; Rhianna Ocasio; Caleb Saxon; Carter Schmid; Caleb Siegwald; Kole VanSickle; Gavin Warren; Sawyer Weller; Logan Wells; Haley White; John White; Austin Wiersema; Elsie Wiesbrook; Adilynn Wilson; Olivia Witheft; and Cole Zorns.
Honor: Cameron Barnes; Cooper Beckett; Beckham Brink; Brilynn Cain; Madison Castor; Skyler Chilton; Danika Dhom; Kinzey Duitsman; Haley Ennis; Cohen Fincham; Shae Lin Fournier; Makayla Goff; Hallie Handal; Brady Harris; Joel Hoewing; Kane Knudsen; Clint McCormick; Payten Niles; Kandace Reed; Mia Reifsteck; Caden Rogers; Sophia Seidlitz; Ian Skibbe; Ava Sommer; and Olivia Williams.
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I’ve always known my Arab culture is worth celebrating.
I heard it in Syrian tenor Sabah Fakhri’s powerful voice reverberating in my mom’s car on the way to piano lessons and soccer practice during my youth. I smelled it in the za’atar, Aleppo pepper, allspice, and cumin permeating the air in the family kitchen. Read more . . .
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SPRINGFIELD - Illinois could become the first state to fully decriminalize sex work among consenting adults, under a new proposal introduced by two state lawmakers.
The legislation, unveiled Monday by State Sen. Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago) and State Rep. Will Guzzardi (D-Chicago), seeks to remove criminal penalties for adults engaged in consensual paid sex. It would also expunge arrest and conviction records for sex workers, establish a sex workers’ bill of rights, and create protections against abuses by law enforcement.
Currently, Illinois law classifies prostitution as a misdemeanor, with penalties for both sex workers and their clients. The proposed measure would not alter existing laws that make solicitation of minors a felony.
If enacted, Illinois would go further than any other state in decriminalizing sex work. While Nevada allows prostitution in licensed brothels in certain counties, and Maine recently decriminalized the sale of sex but not its purchase, no state has fully decriminalized the industry as Illinois lawmakers are advocating.
Supporters of the legislation, including advocacy groups such as Equality Illinois and the American Civil Liberties Union, argue that decriminalization is critical to improving safety and access to resources for sex workers, particularly for marginalized communities. Transgender individuals, they say, are disproportionately affected by violence within the industry.
"Seventy-five percent of all sex workers will experience sexual violence during their careers," Brian Johnson, CEO of Equality Illinois, told Axios. "Nearly two-thirds of transgender people killed in the past 15 years were sex workers."
A study published in the American Journal of Public Health estimates that 45% to 75% of sex workers in Illinois will encounter violence while working. Advocates argue that fear of arrest often prevents workers from reporting abuse, creating an environment in which perpetrators operate with impunity.
Critics of the proposal, however, contend that decriminalization could lead to harmful consequences.
"Taking advantage of the super-majority in both chambers, these Democrats want ‘private choices’ about the use of one's body to be a civil right protected by law," said David Smith, executive director of the Illinois Family Institute. "This flawed thinking will only increase incidents of rape, assault and murder."
Smith further described prostitution as “inherently immoral,” arguing that it objectifies and exploits individuals involved, treating them as consumable products rather than human beings. He also warned that decriminalization could empower the criminal underworld and fuel demand for sex-trafficked victims, including children.
Under current Illinois law, individuals convicted of prostitution can face up to one year in jail and fines. Critics of the existing system say it drives the industry underground, leaving workers vulnerable to exploitation and unable to access legal protections afforded to other professions.
The proposed legislation also seeks to modernize state statutes by removing what advocates describe as dehumanizing language. Additionally, it would ensure that court records related to consensual sex work are automatically sealed.
While proponents view the bill as a step toward addressing systemic inequities and violence, opponents argue that decriminalization could exacerbate existing problems. The proposal’s introduction marks the beginning of what is expected to be a contentious debate in Springfield as Illinois considers whether to become the first state to adopt comprehensive decriminalization of sex work.
The students named below earned recognition for their academic performance and attention to excellence at Unity High School. Congratulations to each on their exceptional scholastic effort in the first semester.
