Louisiana § RS 14:83 - Soliciting for prostitutes

§ RS 14:83. Soliciting for prostitutes

            A. Soliciting for prostitutes is the soliciting, inviting, inducing, directing, or transporting a person to any place with the intention of promoting prostitution.

            B.(1)(a) Whoever commits the crime of soliciting for prostitutes shall be fined not more than seven hundred fifty dollars, imprisoned for not more than six months, or both, and one-half of the fines collected shall be distributed in accordance with R.S. 15:539.4.

            (b) Whoever commits a second or subsequent offense for the crime of soliciting for prostitutes shall be fined not less than one thousand five hundred dollars nor more than two thousand dollars, imprisoned,with or without hard labor, for not more than one year, or both, and one-half of the fines collected shall be distributed in accordance with R.S. 15:539.4.

            (2) Whoever commits the crime of soliciting for prostitutes when the person being solicited is under the age of eighteen years shall be fined not more than fifty thousand dollars, imprisoned at hard labor for not less than fifteen years nor more than fifty years, or both, with at least five years being served without benefit of probation, parole, or suspension of sentence. One-half of the fines collected pursuant to this Paragraph shall be distributed in accordance with R.S. 15:539.4.

            (3) Whoever commits the crime of soliciting for prostitutes when the person being solicited is under the age of fourteen years shall be fined not more than seventy-five thousand dollars, imprisoned at hard labor for not less than twenty-five years nor more than fifty years, or both, with at least ten years being served without benefit of probation, parole, or suspension of sentence. One-half of the fines collected pursuant to this Paragraph shall be distributed in accordance with R.S. 15:539.4.

            (4) In addition to the penalties provided for in this Subsection, the court shall order the offender to complete the Buyer Beware Program, as provided for in R.S. 15:243, to educate the offender about the harms, exploitation, and negative effects of prostitution. In furtherance of the administration of justice in the judicial district and to prevent future recidivism, the court shall impose additional court costs in the amount of two hundred dollars to defer the costs of the program, with the proceeds of the fine being paid to the operator of the Buyer Beware Program as provided for in R.S. 15:243.

            (5) Repealed by Acts 2020, No. 352, §2.

            C.(1) Any child who is identified to be a victim of the crime of soliciting for prostitutes shall be referred and be eligible for specialized services for victims of human trafficking pursuant to R.S. 14:46.2 or trafficking of children for sexual purposes pursuant to R.S. 14:46.3. In accordance with R.S. 14:46.3(E), no victim of trafficking of children for sexual purposes shall be prosecuted for a violation of this Section if such violation is committed as a direct result of being trafficked.

            (2) Any other person who is eighteen years of age or older who is identified as a victim of the crime of soliciting for prostitutes shall be notified of any treatment or specialized services for sexually exploited persons to the extent that such services are available.

            Amended by Acts 1980, No. 708, §1; Acts 2012, No. 446, §1; Acts 2013, No. 83, §1; Acts 2014, No. 564, §1; Acts 2017, No. 180, §1, eff. June 12, 2017; Acts 2018, No. 663, §1; Acts 2020, No. 352, §2; Acts 2025, No. 230, §1.