The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part of the
legislative instrument, were prepared by Jonathon Wagner.
DIGEST
SB 371 Original 2024 Regular Session Barrow
Proposed law provides that when an offender commits a sex offense against a victim who is under
the age of 13 at the time of the offense, the court may sentence the offender to surgical castration,
to be performed by a licensed physician.
Proposed law further provides that the procedure is contingent upon a determination by a court
appointed medical expert that the defendant is an appropriate candidate for surgery, which must be
made within 60 days of imposition of sentence. Proposed law further provides that when the offender
is sentenced to a period of incarceration or confinement in an institution, the procedure must be
performed no later than one week prior to the release of the offender.
Proposed law requires the Dept. of Public Safety and Corrections to provide the services necessary
to complete the procedure, but the procedure will not be performed if it is not medically appropriate.
Proposed law further provides that if an offender fails to appear or refuses to undergo the procedure,
the offender may be charged with failure to comply with the court order and sentenced to
imprisonment between three and five years, without benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of
sentence.
Effective August 1, 2024.
(Adds R.S. 14:43.7)