SAN FRANCISCO —After collecting more than 12,000 signatures, the Erotic Service Providers Union succeeded in putting a measure protecting prostitution crimes on the November ballot. According to an AP wire story, the new measure qualified July 18, and “would bar authorities from spending money to investigate or prosecute prostitutes for engaging in prostitution.” A similar drive for signatures by the Erotic Service Providers Union occurred in 2006, but enough had not been collected to make it on the ballot.

According to a San Francisco Chronicle article, if passed the measure would end San Francisco’s First Offender Prostitution Program for men arrested for soliciting a prostitute. The program, which began in 1996, required men to pay $1,000 and attend a class on prostitution to have their misdemeanor charge dropped.

A statement by Mayor Gavin Newsom declared his lack of support for the measure making the November ballot. Newsom said the measure would severely hamper the city’s ability to investigate and protect against sex-trafficking cases. San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris agreed, and continued, “This measure is nothing more than a welcome mat for prostitutes and pimps to come and hang out in San Francisco.” Though this is not the first attempt to end prosecution of prostitution, only November will tell if this measure will put an end to the attempts.