HLS 21RS-345 ORIGINAL
2021 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 67
BY REPRESENTATIVE LANDRY
Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
CRIME/PROSTITUTION: Repeals certain prostitution-related offenses
1 AN ACT
2To repeal R.S. 14:82, 82.2 through 83.4, 85, 86, 89.2, and 282, relative to prostitution; to
3 repeal certain prostitution-related offenses; to direct the Louisiana State Law
4 Institute to study and make recommendations for changes to other laws necessary to
5 conform with the repeal of these offenses; and to provide for related matters.
6Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
7 Section 1. A humane and effective justice system is a necessary predicate for a
8functioning and healthy democracy. As recently as the early 1970s, the United States had
9an incarceration rate on par with most other Western democracies and while their crime rates
10today are at nearly identical levels, America's incarceration rate is five times higher. Nearly
11five million people are arrested and jailed every year. One in two women in prison are
12incarcerated as a result of nonviolent offenses and nearly two-thirds are confined in jails due
13to an inability to afford cash bail. To begin a large-scale decarceration effort to reshape the
14American legal system by dramatically reducing the incarcerated population,
15decriminalization of sex work would need to be done. By decriminalizing behavior and
16divert cases that do not require confinement such as decriminalizing sex work by removing
17criminal penalties related to consensual sex work and addressing structural inequities that
18impeded the safety, dignity, and well-being of all individuals especially those most
19vulnerable to discrimination on the basis of race, gender identity or expression, sexual
20orientation, disability, socioeconomic status and citizenship, the amount of incarcerations
21would be reduced drastically. Congresswoman Ayanna Pressly has introduced a resolution
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HB NO. 67
1into the U.S. Congress to address such matters, and several states have proposed legislation
2to decriminalize sex work, including New York, Maine, Massachusetts, Washington, D.C.,
3and Vermont.
4 Section 2. R.S. 14:82, 82.2 through 83.4, 85, 86, 89.2, and 282 are hereby repealed
5in their entirety.
6 Section 3. The Louisiana State Law Institute is hereby authorized and directed to
7study and to recommend to the legislature in a written report such other amendments to the
8Louisiana Children's Code, Code of Criminal Procedure, Code of Evidence, Louisiana
9Revised Statutes, or any other body of Louisiana law as is necessary to effectuate, conform,
10and to address any inconsistencies with the purpose of this Act repealing certain prostitution-
11related offenses. The Louisiana State Law Institute shall issue its report and
12recommendations to the legislature no later than February 1, 2022.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 67 Original 2021 Regular Session Landry
Abstract: Repeals certain prostitution-related offenses.
Present law provides for various prostitution-related offenses including:
(1)Prostitution (R.S. 14:82)
(2)Purchase of commercial sexual activity (R.S. 14:82.2)
(3)Soliciting for prostitutes (R.S. 14:83)
(4)Inciting prostitution (R.S. 14:83.1)
(5)Promoting prostitution (R.S. 14:83.2)
(6)Prostitution by massage (R.S. 14:83.3)
(7)Massage; sexual conduct prohibited (R.S. 14:83.4)
(8)Letting premises for prostitution (R.S. 14:85)
(9)Enticing persons into prostitution (R.S. 14:86)
(10)Crime against nature by solicitation (R.S. 14:89.2)
(11)Operation of places of prostitution prohibited (R.S. 14:282)
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HB NO. 67
Proposed law repeals these provisions of present law and directs the La. State Law Institute
to study and issue recommendations for any changes to other provisions of present law
necessary to effectuate and conform with the purposes of proposed law.
(Repeals R.S. 14:82, 82.2 - 83.4, 85, 86, 89.2, and 282)
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