Criminal Justice

passed both · Louisiana · House May 28, 2026

HCR 64: COURTS: Requests a study to make recommendations regarding behavioral health courts

This bill directs the Louisiana Supreme Court's drug and specialty court program to conduct a study on the potential effectiveness, impact, and costs of establishing behavioral health courts in three specific parishes: Ouachita, East Baton Rouge, and Orleans. The program is required to complete this study and submit its findings and recommendations to relevant House and Senate committees no later than January 1, 2027. This legislative request focuses on gathering data to inform future decisions regarding the expansion of these specialized court programs.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill promotes behavioral health courts to improve rehabilitation and reduce recidivism, aligning with criminal justice reform goals.75% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

Track

signed · Louisiana · House May 27, 2026

HB 67: PUBLIC RECORDS: Provides for protected information of certain individuals

HB 67 amends Louisiana law to require removal of personal information for individuals recognized as "protected" (such as victims of certain crimes or abuse) from public records maintained by the secretary of state and district clerks. It directly affects these protected individuals by ensuring their personal details - like addresses or contact information - are not left publicly accessible online or in physical court files. The bill mandates that offices must proactively remove such information from publicly posted records, rather than allowing individuals to opt out of removal. This creates a concrete policy change to enhance privacy for vulnerable groups in government databases.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeProtects victim privacy by removing sensitive personal info from public records, aligning with civil rights and victim safety in criminal justice reform.90% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill mandates removal of protected individuals' personal data from public digital records, directly enhancing data privacy protections in technology systems.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

passed · Louisiana · Senate May 26, 2026

SB 97: CRIMINAL PROCEDURE: Constitutional amendment to require the prosecutor's consent for a defendant to waive his right to a trial by jury. (2/3 - CA13s1(A))

SB 97 is a proposed constitutional amendment to Louisiana's Constitution that would require prosecutors' written consent before a defendant can waive their right to a jury trial in non-capital criminal cases. Currently, defendants can waive jury trials without prosecutor approval (except in capital cases), but this amendment would mandate written consent from the prosecutor, which must be obtained at least 45 days before trial and would be irrevocable. It directly affects defendants facing non-capital criminal charges (those not punishable by death or requiring hard labor confinement) and prosecutors who would need to approve such waivers. The amendment, if approved by voters, would change the constitutional provision governing jury trials in criminal cases.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeRestricts defendant right to waive jury trial without prosecutor consent, reducing individual rights in criminal proceedings per bill's mandate.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

Track

signed · Louisiana · Senate May 22, 2026

SB 58: CRIME/PUNISHMENT: Imposes a mandatory minimum sentence for aggravated flight from a law enforcement officer. (8/1/26) (EN SEE FISC NOTE GF EX)

SB 58 imposes mandatory minimum sentences for "aggravated flight" from law enforcement officers in Louisiana. It requires a minimum one-year prison term (without parole or early release) for fleeing police, increasing to two years if the flight causes serious injury. The bill also mandates that fines from these offenses must fund police pursuit training or safety technology, not general agency budgets. Additionally, it requires insurance proceeds related to such crimes to follow existing legal handling rules. This bill directly affects individuals convicted of fleeing police and changes how related fines are used by law enforcement agencies.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill mandates fines fund police training/safety tech (not general budgets), promoting fiscal responsibility through targeted revenue allocation for public safety programs.95% confidence ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeImposes mandatory minimum sentences (1-2 years) without parole for fleeing police, increasing penalties and aligning with tough-on-crime policies.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

signed · Louisiana · Senate May 22, 2026

SB 92: CRIMINAL RECORDS: Requires district attorneys to submit sexual assault collection kits to the statewide tracking system. (8/1/26)

SB 92 requires Louisiana district attorney offices to submit information about sexual assault collection kits to a statewide tracking system by July 1, 2024. This mandate applies to all relevant entities, including law enforcement and healthcare providers handling these kits, to ensure consistent tracking of evidence. The law also requires the state police to report on implementation progress, including phased rollout plans, to legislative committees and the governor by January 1, 2024. The system aims to improve transparency and coordination in handling sexual assault cases, with the bill taking effect August 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires tracking of sexual assault evidence to improve prosecution efficiency and victim justice, aligning with criminal justice reform goals.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

signed · Louisiana · Senate May 22, 2026

SB 34: PUBLIC SFTY/CORRECT DEPT: Provides relative to alerts for missing persons. (gov sig) (EN NO IMPACT See Note)

SB 34, "Bryan's Call," establishes clear rules for missing child alerts in Louisiana. It requires AMBER Alerts for children 17 or younger in immediate danger of serious harm or death, and Level II alerts for other missing children cases that don’t meet AMBER criteria. Local police must assess alert types, but state police make the final decision and provide required training for law enforcement on using these systems. The law also grants legal immunity to broadcasters, cable operators, and law enforcement for actions related to Level II alerts.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeEstablishes standardized missing child alert protocols for law enforcement, improving response coordination and accountability within public safety systems.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

signed · Louisiana · Senate May 22, 2026

SB 255: BEHAVIORAL HEALTH: Provides relative to psychosocial rehabilitation (PSR) services. (8/1/26)

SB 255 requires Medicaid-funded behavioral health providers in Louisiana to ensure staff delivering psychosocial rehabilitation (PSR) services hold at least a bachelor's degree in specific fields like counseling, social work, or psychology. This affects all licensed providers seeking Medicaid reimbursement for PSR services. The bill mandates these educational qualifications as a condition for continued reimbursement, updating existing Medicaid eligibility rules. The measure is pending legislative review and would not take effect until enacted.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandates higher qualifications for PSR services, enhancing rehabilitation quality to reduce recidivism - aligns with criminal justice reform goals of improving rehabilitation programs.85% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires bachelor's degrees for PSR staff to maintain Medicaid reimbursement, strengthening mental health service quality standards.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

signed · Louisiana · Senate May 22, 2026

SB 306: RELIGIOUS FREEDOMS/LIBERTIES: Creates the crime of obstruction of the freedom of worship in a church or other place of worship. (gov sig)

SB 306 creates a new criminal offense in Louisiana for obstructing freedom of worship at churches or other places of worship. It prohibits specific actions including using force to intimidate attendees, damaging church property, blocking lawful access to the building, or engaging in disruptive activities during scheduled worship services. Violations carry fines up to $25,000 and imprisonment up to 18 months for repeat offenses, with enhanced penalties if bodily injury occurs. The law directly affects individuals who interfere with religious gatherings on private religious property, aiming to protect the orderly conduct of worship as defined by the bill.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill creates new criminal offense for obstructing worship, expanding criminalization per indicators.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

signed · Louisiana · House May 22, 2026

HB 322: PARDON/PAROLE: Prohibits the assessment of any fees or costs against certain individuals who request a copy of testimony presented in executive session before the Board of Pardons and committee on parole

HB 322 prohibits Louisiana state agencies from charging fees or costs to victims, spouses of victims, next of kin of deceased victims, or legal guardians who request copies of testimony from private hearings of the Board of Pardons and parole committee. The bill specifically amends state law to remove financial barriers for these individuals seeking testimony records related to parole or pardon proceedings. It does not affect other requesters or prevent law enforcement from sharing information as required by law. The policy change directly impacts those with direct connections to cases reviewed by these boards.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRemoves financial barriers for victims/families accessing parole testimony records, enhancing transparency in criminal justice proceedings90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

signed · Louisiana · House May 22, 2026

HB 568: CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES: Provides relative to penalty enhancements for violations of drug free school zones (EN SEE FISC NOTE GF EX)

HB 568 increases penalties for drug offenses near schools in Louisiana. It directly affects individuals who sell, use, or vape drugs on school property, within 2,000 feet of school grounds, or on school buses. Key provisions include doubling fines, adding mandatory prison time (up to 1 year) without parole or probation for certain violations, and requiring fines up to $1,000. The bill modifies existing drug laws to strengthen enforcement in school zones.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeIncreases mandatory prison time and doubles fines for drug offenses near schools, expanding criminalization and harsher sentencing per bill provisions.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✓ Supports Criminal Justice