HB 14 Louisiana House · 2025 Regular Session

CRIME/HOMICIDE: Provides relative to homicide when the victim is a person with infirmities (EN SEE FISC NOTE GF EX)

HB 14 amends criminal code provisions to specifically include "the elderly and person with infirmities" as protected groups in homicide and cruelty offenses. The bill directly affects individuals committing crimes against vulnerable adults - such as the elderly or those with physical/mental limitations - by adding these groups to existing aggravating factors. Key provisions include inserting "the elderly and" into definitions of cruelty and modifying language to explicitly cover intentional cruelty to these groups alongside other offenses. If passed, the bill would increase penalties for crimes targeting these vulnerable populations under current criminal statutes. The bill was favorably reported by committee on April 29, 2025, and remains under consideration.

Issues: ✓ Criminal Justice

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Jun 2025

House Passage

May 2025

Senate Passage

Jun 2025

Signed into Law

Jun 2025

Introduced Feb 24, 2025 Signed Jun 20, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB14 Original → HB14 Act · 2 edits

MINOR

This bill expands the scope of Louisiana's homicide laws by adding 'cruelty to the elderly' to the list of crimes that can elevate a killing to first or second-degree murder. Previously, only cruelty to juveniles and persons with infirmities triggered these severe charges; now, harming elderly victims also qualifies. This change ensures that killings occurring during assaults on older adults are treated with the same legal severity as those involving children or disabled individuals.

Scope change

The bill broadens the applicability of aggravated murder charges to include cases where the victim is an elderly person, whereas the original version only covered juveniles and persons with infirmities.

SCOPE

Added 'cruelty to the elderly' to the list of predicate felonies that can result in first and second-degree murder charges.

Updated the text in the bill title and operative sections to reflect the inclusion of the elderly alongside juveniles and persons with infirmities.

Floor votes · Senate Jun 2, 2025 · House May 6, 2025

How they voted

37–0

Passed

Total votes 37

Jun 2, 2025

D Democratic11

11 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican26

26 Yea

100% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Jun 11, 2025

Lower · Passed

Notice of Senate adoption of Conference Committee Report.

lower

Jun 11, 2025

Upper · Passed

Notice House adopted the Conference Committee Report.

upper

Jun 11, 2025

Upper · Passed

Conference Committee Report read; adopted by a vote of 36 yeas and 0 nays.

upper

Jun 11, 2025

Lower · Passed

Conference Committee Report read, roll called, yeas 99, nays 0. The Conference Committee Report was adopted.

lower

Jun 11, 2025

Lower · Passed

Conference Committee report received. Lies over under the rules.

lower

Jun 10, 2025

Upper · Passed

Conference committee report received.

upper

Jun 9, 2025

Upper · Passed

Senate conference committee members appointed: Abraham, Barrow, and Connick.

upper

Jun 4, 2025

Upper · Passed

Notice House Conference Committee members appointed.

upper

Jun 2, 2025

Upper · Passed

The amended bill was read by title, passed by a vote of 39 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

upper

May 29, 2025

Committee

Committee amendments read and adopted. Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.

upper

May 28, 2025

Upper · Passed

Reported with amendments.

upper

May 6, 2025

Lower · Passed

Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 95, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.

lower

Apr 29, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reported favorably (10-0).

lower

Apr 14, 2025

Committee

Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice.

lower

Feb 24, 2025

Committee

Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice.

lower

1 primary · 1 co-sponsor