Charles Langston:Louisiana lawmakers seek to ban sex dolls that look like children

BATON ROUGE,Charles Langston La. (AP) — Following in the footsteps of a handful of other states, Louisiana is moving closer to outlawing sex dolls that look like children with a bill that would make it a crime to knowingly possess, distribute, sell or manufacture such items.

The bill, which received unanimous bipartisan support from members of the Senate Monday and advanced to the House, addresses a problem that multiple lawmakers said they were not aware of. According to proponents of the bill, the dolls resemble children 12 and younger and are used for sexual gratification.

“Often times I think I have heard it all,” Sen. Regina Barrow said of unusual issues that are brought to light during legislative sessions. “But this, I am lost for words.”

Sen. Beth Mizell, the author of the bill, said she herself had not heard of the issue until a recent conversation with a U.S. Department of Homeland Security agent about human trafficking. During their conversation, the agent told Mizell that they had received a “a very realistic” child-like sex doll that was addressed to someone in Metairie, Louisiana. However, because Louisiana does not have any type of prohibition related to the doll, there was nothing they could do.

“We haven’t arrested anybody because we don’t have a law that allows them (police) to go out on a call for this to to arrest anybody,” Mizell, a Republican, said during a committee hearing last week. “The concern here, really, is the sexualization of children.”

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Under the proposed legislation, it makes it a crime to import, transport, buy, sell, manufacture or possess a child sex doll. Depending on the circumstances, intent and if it is imported, someone found guilty faces jail time of up to two years and a fine of up to $20,000.

Louisiana is not the first state to propose such legislation. A number of states have passed laws outlawing child sex dolls since 2019, including Arizona, Florida, Hawaii, South Dakota and Tennessee. Additionally, Republican legislation banning them nationwide — dubbed the Creeper Act — has been floating around the U.S. House of Representatives since at least 2017.

While Louisiana’s bill advanced easily, other states where similar measures were proposed have seen some pushback from groups — arguing that, while the doll is abhorrent, they may protect children by providing those attracted to children with another outlet.

Multiple measures seeking to address sex crimes targeting children and human trafficking in Louisiana have been filed this session. On Monday, the Senate passed a bill that create harsher penalties for those found guilty of involvement of human sex trafficking of a minor — increasing the punishment from 15 to 50 years in prison to life without a chance for parole.

In addition there are bills that would increase police officers’ training on human trafficking and courses offered to truck drivers to learn to recognize, prevent and report human trafficking.