Amends TCA Title 39, Chapter 13.

This bill makes additions to various laws concerning sexual offenses.<br /> <br /> TRAFFICKING A PERSON FOR A COMMERCIAL SEX ACT<br /> <br /> Under present law, a person commits the offense of trafficking a person for a commercial sex act who:<br /> <br /> (1) Knowingly subjects, attempts to subject, benefits from or attempts to benefit from another person's provision of a commercial sex act; or<br /> (2) Recruits, entices, harbors, transports, provides, purchases, or obtains by any other means, another person for the purpose of providing a commercial sex act.<br /> <br /> The offense of trafficking a person for a commercial sex act is generally a Class B felony but may be enhanced to a Class A felony depending on the age of the victim and the location of the offense.<br /> <br /> It is not a defense to trafficking a person for a commercial sex act that:<br /> <br /> (1) The intended victim of the offense is a law enforcement officer; or<br /> (2) The victim of the offense is a minor who consented to the act or acts constituting the offense.<br /> <br /> This bill adds that a person commits the offense of trafficking a person for a commercial sex act who commits the acts that constitute the offense under present law when the intended victim of the offense is a law enforcement officer or a law enforcement officer 18 years of age or older posing as a minor. This bill also adds that it is not a defense to trafficking a person for a commercial sex act that the solicitation was unsuccessful, the conduct solicited was not engaged in, or the law enforcement officer could not engage in the solicited offense.<br /> <br /> PATRONIZING PROSTITUTION<br /> <br /> Under present law, it is a Class A misdemeanor offense for any person to patronize prostitution. It is not a defense to patronizing prostitution that:<br /> <br /> (1) The subject of the offense is a law enforcement officer; or<br /> (2) The victim of the offense is a minor and consented to the offense.<br /> <br /> This bill adds that a person commits the offense of patronizing prostitution where the subject of the offense is a law enforcement officer or a law enforcement officer 18 years of age or older posing as a minor. This bill also adds that it is not a defense to patronizing prostitution that the solicitation was unsuccessful, the conduct solicited was not engaged in, or the law enforcement officer could not engage in the solicited offense.<br /> <br /> PROMOTING PROSTITUTION<br /> <br /> Under present law, it is generally a Class E felony offense for any person to promote prostitution. The offense may be enhanced to a Class D felony if the person being promoted has an intellectual disability. It is not a defense to promoting prostitution that:<br /> <br /> (1) The subject of the offense is a law enforcement officer; or<br /> (2) The victim of the offense is a minor and consented to the offense.<br /> <br /> This bill adds that a person commits the offense of promoting prostitution where the subject of the offense is a law enforcement officer or is a law enforcement officer 18 years of age or older posing as a minor. This bill also adds that it is not a defense to promoting prostitution that the solicitation was unsuccessful, the conduct solicited was not engaged in, or a law enforcement officer could not engage in the solicited offense<br /> <br />