HB 234 Louisiana House · 2025 Regular Session

CRIME: Provides relative to criminal blighting of property

HB 234 clarifies and strengthens Louisiana's definition of "criminal blighting of property," targeting property owners who intentionally or recklessly allow buildings to deteriorate into hazardous conditions. The bill amends statutes to define "blighted property" as vacant, uninhabitable, and dangerous structures (including those declared public nuisances by courts or administrative officers) and specifies that criminal blighting occurs when owners fail to address such conditions after official designation. It directly affects property owners of commercial or residential buildings that become public safety hazards, imposing criminal liability for neglecting repairs. The key mechanism establishes clear legal standards for prosecutors to charge owners who permit hazardous properties to remain unaddressed, aligning definitions across relevant laws.

Issues: ✗ Criminal Justice

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Apr 2025

Committee Review

May 2025

House Passage

May 2025

Senate Passage

Jun 2025

Signed into Law

Jun 2025

Introduced Apr 1, 2025 Signed Jun 11, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB234 Original → HB234 Act 255 · 3 edits

MINOR

This bill updates the legal definition of 'blighted property' to include any vacant or occupied property declared blighted by a court or administrative officer, rather than limiting it to specific commercial or residential lots. It also adds 'apartments' to the list of structures that can be classified as a public nuisance if they endanger public safety. These changes broaden the scope of properties subject to criminal blighting charges and clarify the types of structures covered under public nuisance laws.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of 'blighted property' from specific commercial or residential lots to any vacant or occupied immovable property declared blighted by a court or administrative hearing officer.

DEFINITION

Changed the definition of 'blighted property' to include any vacant or occupied immovable property declared blighted by a court or administrative officer, removing the previous restriction to commercial or residential lots.

Added 'apartment' to the list of structures that can be considered a public nuisance if they endanger health, life, limb, or property.

Updated the definition of 'public nuisance' to ensure consistency with the new 'blighted property' definition by referencing courts of competent jurisdiction.

Floor votes · Senate Jun 8, 2025 · House May 7, 2025

How they voted

37–0

Passed

Total votes 37

Jun 8, 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 8, 2025

Upper · Passed

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 21, 2025

Committee

Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.

upper

May 20, 2025

Upper · Passed

Reported favorably.

upper

May 7, 2025

Lower · Passed

Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 100, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.

lower

Apr 29, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reported favorably (11-0).

lower

Apr 14, 2025

Committee

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

lower

Apr 1, 2025

Committee

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

lower

1 primary · 19 co-sponsors