Legislation

With little fanfare, Louisiana passed a law criminalizing teacher-student sex.

House Bill 969 creates the crime of prohibited sexual contact between an educator and a student when the victim is 17 years of age or older, but less than 19 years of age, when the victim is not the spouse of the offender and is a student at the school where the educator is assigned, employed or working at the time of the offense. Under the legislation, consent of a student 17 years of age or older or not knowing the student's age are not defenses.

Penalties include a fine of not more than $1,000 or imprisonment for not more than six months, or both. Second or subsequent offenses carry a fine of not more than $5,000 and imprisonment, with or without hard labor, for one to five years.

The bill awaits gubernatorial consideration.

From HOUSE NOTES
The Latest News from the State Capitol, Louisiana House of Representatives, Regular Session Wrap-Up, July 3, 2007
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Signed into law, July 9, 2007