House Bill No. by Representative Lafleur aims to strengthen protections for victims of human trafficking and prostitution offenses in Louisiana by amending several sections of the Revised Statutes and the Children's Code. Key provisions include establishing an affirmative defense for trafficking victims against prosecution for offenses committed as a direct result of their victimization, and clarifying that children involved in prostitution-related offenses are presumed to be victims of human trafficking. The bill mandates that these victims be referred to specialized services and outlines exemptions from criminal responsibility and delinquency proceedings for child victims.

Additionally, the bill revises terminology related to prostitution involving minors and ensures that individuals aged eighteen and older who are victims of human trafficking are informed about available treatment and specialized services. It introduces provisions for informal adjustment agreements, allowing district attorneys to offer specialized services to child victims willing to cooperate. The amendments also add victim advocacy services to the list of available resources and clarify definitions related to "delinquent acts" to include trafficking offenses, while removing references to certain prostitution-based offenses in the context of informal adjustments. Overall, the legislation seeks to create a more supportive legal framework that emphasizes the victim status of individuals rather than treating them as offenders.

Statutes affected:
HB321 Original: 14:2(F)(1), 14:3(E), 14:82(G), 14:1(A), 14:2(E), 14:83(C), 14:3(D), 14:4(C), 14:89(C)(2), 14:2(D)(1)