The Columbus City Council is took a retrograde step in voting for a progressively increaseing fines for "johns" who purchase sex in the city. A board member said they don't want a city where the fine for purchasing sex was half the fine for speeding. Two members voted against the law change, saying I strongly believe there needs to be a greater focus on reducing criminal penalties for the vulnerable individuals involved in sex work, whether it's by trafficking or by choice,
Under the new ordinance, individuals charged with sexual exploitation could be subject to a minimum fine of $300 for their first offense. If within five years a person becomes a repeat offender, the penalty increases to $550, and a judge "may," rather than "shall," impose a sentence of 10 days in jail for a second offense. Any subsequent offense conviction would be an $800 fine and a potential 15-day jail sentence.