CRIME/SEX OFFENSES: Provides relative to penalties for certain sex offenses (EN SEE FISC NOTE GF EX)

Changed the penalty for a second or subsequent offense of soliciting for prostitutes to require imprisonment at hard labor, whereas the previous law allowed imprisonment with or without hard labor.

Added a second or subsequent conviction of soliciting for prostitutes to the legal definition of 'sex offense' in R.S. 15:541(24)(a), triggering mandatory sex offender registration and notification requirements.

Removed references to trafficking of children and purchase of commercial sexual activity from the bill's primary scope, narrowing the focus specifically to soliciting for prostitutes and related definitions.

Penalties for soliciting prostitution now mandate that a portion of the prison sentence (five years for under-18 victims, ten years for under-14 victims) must be served without any benefit of probation, parole, or suspension of sentence.

The penalty for trafficking children for sexual purposes was updated to require that at least five years of the prison sentence be served without the possibility of probation, parole, or suspension.

The text was clarified to explicitly state that one-half of fines collected from these offenses must be distributed in accordance with R.S. 15:539.4.

Added new provisions (R.S. 14:46.3) criminalizing the recruitment, harboring, or purchase of children under eighteen for commercial sexual activity.

Deleted R.S. 14:82.1, which previously specifically addressed prostitution involving persons under eighteen.

Increased penalties for soliciting minors, introducing mandatory minimum prison sentences without probation for victims under eighteen and victims under fourteen.

Updated the definition of 'sex offense' for registration purposes to include new trafficking and solicitation statutes.

Added specific sentencing enhancements requiring a minimum of five or ten years served without benefit of probation for certain child victim scenarios.