Senate Bill 138 introduces a new $5,000 surcharge for individuals convicted of various prostitution-related offenses, including patronizing or soliciting prostitutes and soliciting minors for prostitution. The bill mandates that this surcharge be imposed in addition to any other penalties and aims to allocate the collected funds towards treatment and services for sex-trafficking victims, as well as for law enforcement operations related to Internet crimes against children. The bill also amends existing statutes to ensure that the funds from the surcharge are properly credited to the relevant appropriation accounts for these purposes.

Additionally, the bill creates new legal provisions, including sections 20.437 (1) (hf), 814.75 (28), 814.76 (21), and 944.35, while amending sections 20.455 (2) (hd) and 48.48 (19). The amendments clarify the allocation of funds from the prostitution crime surcharge and ensure that treatment services for trafficking victims are available statewide. The bill also specifies the collection and distribution process for the surcharge, ensuring that half of the funds are directed to services for sex-trafficking victims and the other half to law enforcement efforts against Internet crimes involving children.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 20.455(2)(hd), 20.455, 48.48(19), 48.48