CRIME: Increases the penalties for public bribery (EN SEE FISC NOTE LF EX)

HB 226 amends Louisiana law to increase the maximum penalties for the crime of public bribery. This change directly affects individuals who offer, promise, or give anything of value to a public official in exchange for an official act. Under the new provisions, a person convicted of public bribery could face a fine of up to $12,000, a prison sentence of up to 10 years, or both. The bill does not alter the definition of the crime itself but strictly raises the potential punishments available to courts.