People who commit sex crimes against children in the US state of Louisiana can be forced through the courts to undergo surgical castration under a bill approved by legislators in this state, Reuters reported, quoted by BTA.
The agency added that it would be the first measure of its kind in the United States if Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry signs the document into law.
The bill, which passed overwhelmingly on Monday, would allow judges to order the surgical castration of defendants convicted of serious sex crimes such as raping children under the age of 13.
The bill will now be presented to Governor Landry, who is a Republican. His office has not yet responded to Reuters' inquiry about whether he intends to sign the new state law.
Several US states, including Louisiana, California and Texas, already have laws that give judges the power to order chemical castration in some cases. This measure includes taking hormone-blocking drugs.
The surgical castration bill requires an opinion from a court-appointed medical expert to determine that the accused is “fit for this operation" before a judge orders the intervention, Reuters reports.