LA HB5

Creates a new offense for knowingly soliciting or purchasing a person under 18 for commercial sexual activity, punishable by up to $50,000 fine and 15-50 years imprisonment with at least 5 years without parole; enhanced penalties apply when victim is under 14

Increases penalties for purchasing commercial sexual activity from adults: maximum fine raised from $750 to $1,000, maximum imprisonment increased from 6 months to 1 year with hard labor

Adds mandatory minimum sentences without probation, parole, or suspension across multiple prostitution-related offenses involving minors, including soliciting, inciting, promoting prostitution, pandering, and operating places of prostitution

Requires child victims of soliciting for prostitutes to be referred for specialized trafficking services and prohibits prosecution of trafficking victims for violations committed as a direct result of being trafficked

Adds soliciting for prostitutes involving minors (R.S. 14:83(B)(2) or (3)) to the list of sex offenses requiring sex offender registration and expands the definition of human trafficking-related offenses for victim notification purposes