Disorderly conduct: prostitution.

Existing law provides that a person who solicits or agrees to engage in or engages in any act of prostitution is guilty of disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor, punishable by imprisonment in the county jail for no more than 6 months, by a fine not exceeding $1,000, or by both that fine and imprisonment. Existing law also provides for increased minimum terms of imprisonment for a violation of that provision when a person has previously been convicted of soliciting or agreeing to engage in or engaging in any act of prostitution. Existing law defines prostitution to include any lewd act between persons for money or other consideration. This bill would authorize the court to impose a fine of not less than $500, and not more than $2,000, except as specified, on a defendant if the defendant agreed to provide, provided, or solicited another to accept money or other consideration for any lewd act. The bill would require that 75% of the moneys collected from that fine be retained by the county and used to fund shelter, counseling, and other direct services and exit programs for victims of commercial sexual exploitation and sexual abuse.