Everett Updating Laws Against Permitting and Patronizing Prostitutes

The Everett City Council tonight received a briefing on proposed updates on laws that deal with prostitution in the city. In one case the city council is being asked to amend language in the law that makes it illegal to knowingly permit prostitution. The wording of Everett’s current law has been ruled too vague by the Everett Municipal Court. It currently reads…

A person is guilty of permitting prostitution if, having possession or control of premises he or she knows are being used for prostitution purposes, he or she fails without lawful excuse to make reasonable effort to halt or abate such use.

To make the law less vague the city is taking out the phrase “without lawful excuse” so the new law reads…

A person is guilty of permitting prostitution if, having possession or control of premises he or she knows are being used for prostitution purposes, he or she fails to make reasonable effort to halt or abate such use.

In another case the City of Everett wants to be able to prosecute someone for patronizing a prostitute even if the communication between one of the two people involved happened inside the Everett City limits and the other person was outside of the city limits at the time of the communication. Prosecutors explained that this could be used to go after people who arrange illegal encounters via the internet or other electronic means.

The city council is expected to hold a vote on the update to the two ordinances on May 24th.