A new law aimed at stronger punishment for people who solicit prostitutes in St. Petersburg goes into effect Thursday.
The new law provides stronger punishments for those individuals - commonly known as "Johns" - who solicit a person to commit prostitution.
According to St. Petersburg police, under the new law, "Johns" will be guilty of a first-degree misdemeanor upon their first conviction. Their second violation will be treated as a third-degree felony and their third violation a second-degree felony.
It has previously been a second-degree misdemeanor.
Also, a judge is required to assess the offender a civil penalty of $5,000 when convicted or when he enters a guilty plea.
In addition to the normal penalties imposed, once the person is convicted, the judge is required to order the offender to perform 100 hours of community service and to pay to attend an educational program about the harmful effects of prostitution and human trafficking.
If an offender has a additional solicitation convictions, a minimum of 10 days in the county jail can be imposed and any vehicle used in the solicitation may be impounded for up to 60 days.
"As St. Petersburg Police Officers continue to address the problem of prostitution it is believed the new law will have a deterrent effect on many of those who seek out prostitutes," department officials said in a released statement.