A bill proposed in New York state to keep the possession of condoms from being used in criminal court as evidence of prostitution has gained traction following years of dismissal, The New York Times reports. The legislation, sponsored by Assemblywoman Barbara M. Clark and State Senator Velmanette Montgomery, would ensure that sex workers would not have to fear being arrested simply for carrying condoms. A recent trial in New York City has set a precedent to support the bill. Before Judge Richard M. Weinberg of Manhattan Criminal Court acquitted a woman of prostitution charges based on a condom found in her purse, he stated: “[I]n the age of AIDS and HIV, if people are sexually active at a certain age and they are not walking around with condoms, they are fools.”

To read the Times article, click here.