HB 579 Louisiana House · 2026 Regular Session

CRIMINAL/VICTIMS: Provides relative to the rights of survivors of sexual assault

HB 579 in Louisiana establishes specific rights for sexual assault survivors by amending the state's Sexual Assault Survivor Bill of Rights. It requires that unreported sexual assault evidence collection kits be preserved without cost for at least 20 years (or longer per state policy), ensures survivors are notified of all their rights under the law, and confirms survivors retain any additional rights granted by other Louisiana laws. The bill directly affects individuals who have experienced sexual assault in Louisiana, focusing on preserving evidence and ensuring awareness of legal protections. These provisions aim to strengthen support systems for survivors through concrete policy changes in evidence handling and rights communication.

Issues: ✓ Criminal Justice

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

May 2026

House Passage

May 2026

Senate Passage

May 2026

Signed into Law

Jun 2026

Introduced Feb 26, 2026 Signed Jun 8, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB579 Original → HB579 Act 815 · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill updates the Sexual Assault Survivor Bill of Rights to clarify that sexual assault collection kits must be preserved for at least twenty years, rather than only unreported kits. It also expands confidentiality protections to include victims of sex offenses and human trafficking, with specific exceptions for cases involving death. Additionally, the bill establishes a new oversight mechanism for complaints and allocates STOP grant funds to update victim notification notices.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of confidentiality protections to cover victims of sex offenses and human trafficking-related offenses, in addition to minors, and clarifies the preservation requirements for sexual assault collection kits.

REQUIREMENT

Changed the preservation requirement for sexual assault collection kits from 'unreported' kits to all kits, ensuring a minimum preservation period of twenty years.

Expanded confidentiality protections to explicitly include victims of sex offenses and human trafficking-related offenses, alongside minors.

ENFORCEMENT

Added a new provision allowing survivors to submit complaints about rights violations directly to the Senate or House Select Committees on Women and Children.

FISCAL

Directed STOP Violence Against Women Formula Grant funds to update and distribute the required victim rights notice.

EXCEPTIONS

Created specific exceptions to confidentiality rules, allowing disclosure when a victim dies or when the victim requests the documents themselves.

Floor votes · Senate May 26, 2026 · House May 6, 2026

How they voted

36–0

Passed · 4 other

Total votes 40

May 26, 2026

D Democratic12

10 Yea 2

83% Yea

R Republican28

26 Yea 2

92% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

May 29, 2026

Lower · Passed

Read by title, roll called, yeas 97, nays 0, Senate amendments concurred in.

lower

May 26, 2026

Upper · Passed

Rules suspended. Senate floor amendments read and adopted. Read by title, passed by a vote of 35 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

upper

May 19, 2026

Committee

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

upper

May 18, 2026

Upper · Passed

Reported with amendments.

upper

May 6, 2026

Lower · Passed

Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 98, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.

lower

Apr 29, 2026

Lower · Passed

Reported with amendments (15-0).

lower

Mar 9, 2026

Committee

Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

lower

Feb 26, 2026

Committee

Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

lower

1 primary · 24 co-sponsors