Louisiana lawmakers passed a bill giving judges the option of sentencing people convicted of certain sex crimes against children to surgical castration.
According to a report by The New York TimesLouisiana would be the first state to impose such a punishment if Gov. Jeff Landry signs the bill into law.
The approved bill allows surgical castration as a possible punishment for aggravated sexual crimes such as rape, incest and sexual abuse against a child under 13 years of age.
While some states, including California, Florida and Texas, have laws allowing chemical castration, Louisiana's legislation stands out because it would allow judges to impose surgical castration.
Previously, Louisiana judges could order convicts to undergo chemical castration, a procedure that decreases sexual desire by blocking testosterone production, but it was rarely used.
Surgical castration, on the other hand, is a more invasive procedure.
Currently, there are 2,224 people incarcerated in Louisiana for sex crimes against children under 13 years of age. If the bill becomes law, it can only apply to those convicted of a crime that occurred on or after August 1 of this year.
The bill received overwhelming approval in both Republican-dominated chambers of the state legislature, while dissenting votes came primarily from Democrats.
However, a Democratic lawmaker, state Sen. Regina Barrow, authored the legislation, hoping it would serve as a deterrent to horrendous crimes.
Barrow said the punishment could apply to both men and women and that judges would make the decision on a case-by-case basis.
If an offender “fails or refuses to submit” to surgical castration as ordered by a judge, he or she could face an additional three to five years in prison.
The proposal also requires a medical expert to determine whether the offender is a suitable candidate for the procedure.
