SB 357 Louisiana Senate · 2026 Regular Session

COURTS: Provides relative to the courts and the judiciary. (8/1/26) (EN SEE FISC NOTE GF EX)

SB 357 updates Louisiana's court procedures by creating a new mechanism allowing federal courts and courts from other states to request guidance from Louisiana's Supreme Court on unresolved questions of Louisiana law. It also modifies administrative rules regarding court security personnel, crier salaries, and expense reimbursements for justices (including travel costs for those living over 50 miles from court). The bill repeals an outdated section (R.S. 13:75) and adds provisions clarifying that certain reimbursements do not count toward retirement benefits. These changes primarily affect state court operations, justices, and security staff, with no direct impact on the general public.

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

May 2026

Senate Passage

May 2026

House Passage

May 2026

Signed into Law

May 2026

Introduced Feb 27, 2026 Signed May 22, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 4 comparisons

What changed between versions

SB357 Original → SB357 Act · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was converted from a draft to an enrolled act, expanding its scope to include new sections on court security personnel, statewide police powers, and technology implementation. It also updated the text of existing sections to clarify reimbursement rules and expand the authority of the Supreme Court to adopt uniform rules with other courts.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded from primarily addressing court expenses and federal certification questions to include provisions for court security personnel, statewide police powers, and a uniform plan for digital case management technology.

SCOPE

Added new authority for the Supreme Court to adopt uniform rules of court in collaboration with other state and federal courts of last resort.

REQUIREMENT

Added provisions establishing criers as commissioned deputy sheriffs with statewide police power and security assistance capabilities.

Added a new section authorizing the Supreme Court to develop a uniform plan for facsimile filing, case management, and related technology.

Modified reimbursement rules to clarify that elected vouchered expenses must be for an entire fiscal year and cannot exceed the total amounts provided under the existing expense allowance.

Updated the definition of reimbursable travel expenses to explicitly include mileage and travel for performing official duties within districts.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 24, 2026 · House May 19, 2026

How they voted

39–0

Passed · 1 other

Total votes 40

Mar 24, 2026

D Democratic12

12 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican28

27 Yea 1

96% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

May 20, 2026

Upper · Passed

Amendments proposed by the House read and concurred in by a vote of 33 yeas and 0 nays.

upper

May 19, 2026

Lower · Passed

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

lower

May 13, 2026

Introduced

Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments.

lower

May 12, 2026

Committee

Referred to the Legislative Bureau.

lower

May 12, 2026

Lower · Passed

Discharged from the Committee on Appropriations.

lower

May 11, 2026

Committee

Read by title, amended, recommitted to the Committee on Appropriations.

lower

May 7, 2026

Lower · Passed

Reported with amendments (15-0). To be recommitted to the Committee on Appropriations.

lower

Mar 26, 2026

Committee

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

lower

Mar 24, 2026

Upper · Passed

Senate floor amendments read and adopted. Read by title and passed by a vote of 38 yeas and 0 nays; ordered reengrossed and sent to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

upper

Mar 17, 2026

Upper · Passed

Reported with amendments.

upper

Mar 9, 2026

Committee

Introduced in the Senate; read by title. Rules suspended. Read second time and referred to the Committee on Judiciary A.

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors