A significant change to Arizona's criminal code took effect on September 12, 2026, and most Arizonans have no idea it happened. House Bill 2720 (HB 2720) rewrote the state's prostitution statute so paying, agreeing to pay, or offering to pay for sexual acts is no longer a misdemeanor. It is now a felony, and the mandatory jail time already attached to these charges now comes with the potential for a felony conviction. If you are under investigation or already facing charges under this updated statute, understanding what changed and what a felony conviction under this law can cause is the first step toward protecting your future.
What House Bill 2720 Changed Under Arizona Law
Before this year, paying for sex in Arizona was prosecuted under A.R.S. § 13-3214, and a first offense was treated as a class 1 misdemeanor, the same level as a minor theft or a first-time DUI charge. Even then, a first-time conviction carried at least 15 consecutive days in jail. HB 2720 amended this statute. Under the new law, anyone convicted of paying, agreeing to pay, or offering to pay for sexual conduct under a fee arrangement can be found guilty of a class 6 felony, the lowest felony classification in Arizona, but a felony all the same. Governor Katie Hobbs signed the bill with bipartisan support from both chambers of the legislature, and the change became enforceable statewide on September 12, 2026. Lawmakers framed the bill as a way to target demand behind sex trafficking, on the theory that fewer buyers means a smaller market for traffickers. Whatever the policy goal, a case once resolved as a misdemeanor now opens with a felony charge attached.
Potential Penalties for a Class 6 Felony Conviction
Class 6 felonies sit at the bottom of Arizona's felony scale, and many come with flexibility for a first-time offender to avoid a permanent felony record altogether. Under A.R.S. § 13-604, a court can designate a class 6 felony as a misdemeanor or leave it undesignated during probation. The mandatory jail terms can still apply, though.
A conviction under the new law can carry the following:
- A class 6 felony conviction, which can stay on your record as a felony unless the court designates it a misdemeanor at sentencing or after successful probation.
- A mandatory minimum of 15 consecutive days in jail for a first offense, 30 consecutive days for a second offense, and 60 consecutive days plus a court-ordered education or treatment program for a third offense.
- Probation, which a court can approve after the entire mandatory jail term has been served, but not if a prison sentence is used.
- A non-waivable $200 assessment the court must order paid into Arizona's Anti-Human Trafficking Grant Fund.
- Escalation to a class 4 felony, with a mandatory minimum of 180 consecutive days in jail, for a fourth offense and beyond.
- The collateral consequences following most felony convictions, including effects on employment, housing, professional licensing, and immigration status.
Raised Stakes for Anyone Charged
Under the old misdemeanor version of this law, a first-time offense already carried at least 15 consecutive days in jail, but rarely followed someone for the rest of their life. The mandatory jail terms are not new, but the label attached to them is. A first offense under HB 2720 is charged as a class 6 felony from the start, and a felony conviction can affect firearm rights, employment, housing, and professional licensing. In other words, this charge now carries a higher level of risk than existed only months ago.
How We Defend Sex Crime Cases at MayesTelles PLLC
Understanding a sex crime statute on paper is one thing. Understanding how prosecutors across Arizona charge, negotiate, and try these cases is another. At MayesTelles PLLC, our team includes several attorneys who spent years inside the system as prosecutors before joining the defense side, including founding partner David V. Telles, a former prosecutor in the Maricopa County Attorney's Office Sex Crimes Unit. This background gives us insight into how a newly enacted law like HB 2720 gets applied in practice, where prosecutors push too hard in the early months of enforcement, and where the police reports, evidence, or charging decisions in your case can be challenged.
We also know the earlier a defense attorney gets involved, the more options remain, including intervention before formal charges are ever filed. Because arrests do not wait for business hours, MayesTelles PLLC is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year, including major holidays, to speak with you the moment you need us.
If you are under investigation or have been charged with soliciting prostitution or purchasing sexual conduct anywhere in Arizona, do not wait to see how the case unfolds on its own. Call (602) 428-7104 for a free, confidential consultation with our team today.