HB 656 Louisiana House · 2026 Regular Session

CORRECTIONS: Creates a pilot program that provides certain DPS&C programming and services to inmates (EN SEE FISC NOTE GF EX)

HB 656 establishes a pilot program to provide structured programming to specific inmates in Louisiana. It directly affects juvenile offenders and inmates held in parish jails or prisons under the Department of Public Safety and Corrections (DPS&C). The program must include rehabilitation services (education/vocational training), mental health support, and suicide prevention initiatives. Programming will be delivered in-person or via video for accessibility, with DPS&C required to create implementing rules. This bill focuses on expanding access to support services within correctional facilities.
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 27, 2026 Signed Jun 2, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 4 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB656 Original HB656 Act 663 · 4 edits
MODERATE
The bill was expanded from a single sponsor to a bipartisan group of representatives and formally enrolled as Act No. 663. The core policy regarding inmate programming remains largely the same, but the eligibility criteria were broadened to include inmates held in parish jails, not just juvenile facilities.
Scope change
The bill's scope was expanded to apply to all inmates in parish prisons or jails, whereas the original draft only explicitly mentioned juvenile offenders in juvenile facilities.
ELIGIBILITY

Eligibility was broadened from only juvenile offenders to include all inmates sentenced to the Department of Public Safety and Corrections who are held in parish prisons or jails.

Attendance options were updated to allow in-person or remote access for the newly included adult inmates in parish jails, in addition to remote access for juveniles.

FORMAL_STATUS

The bill was officially enrolled and assigned Act No. 663, indicating it has passed all legislative stages and is now law.

SPONSORSHIP

The list of sponsors was updated to include multiple representatives, reflecting a broader legislative coalition.

Floor votes · Senate May 26, 2026 · House May 5, 2026

How they voted

350
Passed · 5 other
Total votes 40
May 26, 2026
D Democratic12
10 Yea 2
83% Yea
R Republican28
25 Yea 3
89% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
20
Key actions
4
Committee
5
May 26, 2026
Upper · Passed
Rules suspended. 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
Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.
upper
May 18, 2026
Upper · Passed
Reported favorably.
upper
May 5, 2026
Lower · Passed
Read third time by title, amended, roll called on final passage, yeas 101, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.
lower
Apr 28, 2026
Lower · Passed
Reported favorably (9-0).
lower
Mar 9, 2026
Committee
Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice.
lower
Feb 27, 2026
Committee
Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice.
lower
1 primary · 18 co-sponsors

Sponsors