ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — This week on Empire State Weekly, legislation at the Capitol would decriminalize prostitution among consenting adults. Advocates and sponsors of the Stop Violence in the Sex Trades Act say it will help those involved in so-called sex work remain safe.

Renée Henck, the Anti-trafficking Coordinator of Safe Inc. in Schenectady, explained the act does not legalize prostitution but decriminalizes it, removing the criminal penalties connected to the act; it would also clear prior criminal convictions for sex work-related offenses. Henck said the legislation would encourage those who engage in sex work to come forward to law enforcement to report coercion or violence.

Also, this week, Roberta Reardon, the Commissioner of The New York Department of Labor, explained the steps the state is taking to assist farmers as they navigate the new rules determining overtime pay for farm workers. The recently approved rules will gradually decrease the overtime threshold to 40 hours a week by 2032, from 60 hours a week. Commissioner Reardon explained that while the increased costs may impact farms, the increased wages the farm workers make will likely be reinvested in the local economy where they work.

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