Louisiana lawmakers approve law that would allow surgical castration of convicted child molesters

Convicted child molesters in Louisiana could be ordered to undergo surgical castration – in addition to prison time – under a tough new law approved by state lawmakers Monday. 

The bill would give judges the option to sentence someone to surgical castration after they’ve been convicted of aggravated sex crimes — including rape, incest and molestation — against a child younger than 13.

Judges in Louisiana have been allowed to order those convicted of such crimes to receive chemical castration for nearly 20 years, though that punishment has rarely been issued. 

Chemical castration uses medications that block testosterone production in order to decrease sex drive, but surgical castration is a much more invasive procedure.

The bill received overwhelming approval in both of the GOP-dominated chambers. Democrats accounted for most of the votes against, though a Democratic lawmaker, state Sen. Regina Barrow, sponsored the bill.  

Currently, there are more than 2,000 people imprisoned in Louisiana for sex crimes against children younger than 13. If the bill becomes law, it will apply to those who have been convicted of a crime that occurred on or after Aug. 1 of this year.

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Sen. Barrow has said the bill would be an extra step in punishment for horrific crimes and hopes it will serve as a deterrent to such offenses against children.

"We are talking about babies who are being violated by somebody," Barrow said during a committee meeting earlier this year. "That is inexcusable."

Barrow stressed that the punishment would be imposed on a case-by-case basis and at the discretion of judges. 

If an offender "fails to appear or refuses to undergo" surgical castration after a judge orders the procedure, they could be hit with a "failure to comply" charge and face an additional three to five years in prison, based on the bill's language.

The legislation also stipulates that a medical expert must "determine whether that offender is an appropriate candidate" for the procedure before it's carried out.

Opponents of the bill – and past chemical castration bills – called it "cruel and unusual punishment," questioning the effectiveness of the procedure. Other Louisiana lawmakers have questioned if the punishment was too harsh for someone who may have a single offense.

To this, Barrow has said when she thinks about a child, "one time is too many." 

The legislation now heads to the desk of conservative Gov. Jeff Landry, who will decide whether to sign it into law or veto it. Fox News Digital has reached out to Landry's office for comment.