Criminal Justice

HB 336 establishes new rules for inmates seeking post-conviction relief after federal habeas corpus proceedings are stayed to allow exhaustion of state remedies. It requires petitioners to submit unexhausted claims to Louisiana state district courts within 30 days, proving they had good cause for not raising the claim earlier, that the claim isn't frivolous, and they avoided delaying tactics. Applications failing to meet these requirements face automatic dismissal. The bill mandates expedited review by state courts and prioritized handling by the Louisiana Supreme Court for these claims.

HB 152 adds 13 specific synthetic opioids, including various fentanyl analogs like N-Pyrrolidino metonitazene and Beta-Methylacetyl fentanyl, to Louisiana's Schedule I controlled substances list. This means these substances are now classified as illegal without a prescription, making possession or distribution a criminal offense under state law. The bill directly affects individuals who use or distribute these drugs, as they will face the same legal penalties as other Schedule I substances. The change updates Louisiana's controlled substances law to address emerging synthetic drugs identified through chemical names.

HB 131 modifies Louisiana's post-conviction relief process by adding two new restrictions on appeals. It denies relief if a petitioner knew about a claim but failed to raise it during trial (Article 930.4(B)) or raised it in trial but didn’t pursue it on appeal (Article 930.4(C)). The bill also changes custody rules: if relief is granted, the person cannot be released on bail until Louisiana’s Supreme Court finishes reviewing the case (Article 930.5(C)). This directly affects individuals convicted of crimes seeking to overturn their convictions through post-conviction appeals. The law aims to reduce repetitive or incomplete appeals while clarifying custody procedures during appeals.

HB 53 adds seven specific gambling-related crimes to Louisiana’s list of offenses that can serve as the basis for racketeering charges. It includes violations like operating illegal gambling games (R.S. 14:90), gambling in public (R.S. 14:90.2), computer gambling (R.S. 14:90.3), and bribery of sports participants (R.S. 14:118.1). Prosecutors can now use these gambling crimes as "predicate offenses" to build racketeering cases under Louisiana’s racketeering statute. The bill does not change the gambling laws themselves but expands how gambling violations can be prosecuted under broader organized crime statutes.