Colorado Democrats have introduced a bill to decriminalize “commercial sexual activity” — i.e., prostitution.

And Senate Bill 26-097 isn’t just legalization. It provides no limits on prostitution, solicitation, businesses, patronizing or public displays. 

That goes far beyond even Nevada, where prostitution is legal but extensively regulated and limited to licensed brothels, with licensed employees. And the brothels there are legal only in the 10 most sparsely populated of Nevada’s 17 counties — not the population centers of Las Vegas and Reno.

In Maine, where selling sex was decriminalized in 2023, paying or exploiting prostitutes is still illegal. 

European countries with legalized prostitution almost always regulate it or place other limits on it.

Even Amsterdam — a sex tourism destination due to its permissive prostitution laws and red light district — requires licensing, zoning and age minimums.

SB 26-097 doesn’t include such limits.

Colorado is already a travel destination for marijuana, hallucinogens and even abortions. Next — a center of sex tourism?

Who is asking for this, anyway? It sure isn’t on the minds of voters, regardless of their political leanings. If widespread revulsion at Jeffrey Epstein and Sean “Diddy” Combs are any guide, the public is fed up with sexual abuse and the broader sexualization of public life.

So, why are some Democrats pushing such an unserious proposal?

Perhaps it’s a test run for more modest variations down the line, with Democrats putting the most extreme idea out there first and later working their way down.

It also seems to be part of the ruling party’s overall push for “justice reform” — legitimizing and normalizing the sex trade with values-neutral language such as “sex worker” and “commercial sexual activity.” As if so-called sex workers have ordinary jobs like anyone else: butcher, baker, candlestick maker — prostitute. Oh, please.

But prostitution is not a respectable career — and it’s not a victimless crime.

The false promise that decriminalization reduces exploitation won’t change that. Commercialized prostitution will draw sizable profits, pulling more people into the sex trade, especially the economically distressed.

There is abundant evidence of the harm it inflicts on individuals and society. Rather than accomplishing its purported goals, SB 26-097 will further exploit prostitutes, empower pimps and fuel sex trafficking with increased demand — particularly child trafficking.

“Decriminalizing prostitution will make adult trafficking more prominent because there is no consequence for the behavior, and (it) will further child sex trafficking because it will get bigger and nearly impossible to stop,” retired 45-year law enforcement veteran George Mumma, who investigated crimes against children, told Gazette columnist Jimmy Sengenberger.

Mumma’s experience is illuminating. Utterly unregulated prostitution puts women and girls, as well as men and boys, at serious risk of abuse, all under the color of lawful activity.

Even worse, the bill expressly forbids local communities from restricting or regulating it. Street corners and homes in residential areas — open for business. Public parks? Cars in your local supermarket parking lot? Passersby will just have to look the other way.

How about a brothel opening near a neighborhood school or religious congregation?

Much of the state’s Democratic leadership, including Gov. Jared Polis, will — or should — view SB 26-097 as radioactive. Even its sponsors can’t seriously believe it will pass.

But even if most lawmakers have the good sense to reject the repugnant measure, the push for legal prostitution likely will come back, if in purportedly more palatable forms. That would be too bad; even a regulated version would exploit prostitutes, empower sex traffickers and undermine Colorado’s quality of life.

SB 26-097 isn’t serious policymaking — it’s a slap in the public’s face. The Democratic legislative leadership should shut it down.