Paying For Sex In Florida Could Become More Costly
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TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami/AP) — The Florida House passed a bill that would make people who solicit prostitutes pay up even more.
The bill that passed unanimously Thursday attempts to deal with prostitution by going after people who pay for sex through increased penalties.
The penalty for a first offense would increase from a second-degree misdemeanor to a first-degree misdemeanor. A second offense would be a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a third offense would be a second-degree felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
First offenders would also have to take a course on the dangers of prostitution and perform community service.
Republican Rep. Ross Spano said his bill (HB 465) is a message that people are not commodities to be bought and sold.
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