Criminal Justice

signed · Louisiana · Senate May 22, 2026

SB 207: CRIMINAL PROCEDURE: Provides 10-year time limitation on prosecution of certain crimes committed by elected officials and public employees. (8/1/26) (EN SEE FISC NOTE LF EX)

SB 207 removes time limits for prosecuting certain serious misconduct by elected officials and public employees while they are serving in office or employment. It eliminates the statute of limitations for six specific offenses committed during their tenure, including abuse of office, bribery of candidates/voters, corrupt influencing, malfeasance, and public bribery. This means prosecutors can bring charges for these crimes at any time during the individual's term or employment period, without being restricted by typical time limits. The bill directly affects Louisiana elected officials (like mayors or council members) and public employees who commit these offenses while performing their duties.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRemoves statute of limitations for public official misconduct (abuse of office, bribery), enhancing accountability in criminal justice system.95% confidence

signed · Louisiana · House Jun 8, 2026

HB 769: DOMESTIC ABUSE: Provides relative to the removal authority process with respect to domestic offenders

HB 769 requires courts to hold a domestic abuse offender without bail for 48-72 hours (a "cooling off" period) after arrest for specific offenses like domestic abuse battery, violation of protective orders, or stalking involving family, household, or dating partners. This applies to defendants charged with offenses listed in the bill, directly affecting those arrested for these crimes and the courts handling their cases. The bill mandates a court hearing about bail conditions within five days (excluding weekends/holidays) if bail isn't set immediately during this holding period. It does not change the definition of offenses but modifies the immediate detention and hearing process for these cases. The law aims to provide safety time for victims before bail decisions.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandates 48-72hr detention without bail for domestic abuse offenders to prevent immediate re-offending, enhancing victim safety and court oversight in criminal justice process.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Domestic Violence

signed · Louisiana · House May 15, 2026

HB 98: CRIMINAL/VICTIMS: Provides a penalty for the unlawful disclosure of confidential information relating to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking (EN SEE FISC NOTE GF EX)

HB 98 strengthens protections for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking by creating criminal penalties for unauthorized disclosure of their confidential information. The bill prohibits individuals from intentionally releasing, disclosing, transferring, or disseminating victim-identifying details - such as abuse status, family members, or agency involvement - and imposes fines up to $2,500 or up to one year in prison for violations. It also shields community shelters from liability if staff or others unlawfully disclose such information. These provisions apply to service providers, law enforcement, and agencies handling victim cases, ensuring sensitive data remains confidential. The bill focuses on concrete policy changes to prevent re-victimization through information leaks.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeStrengthens victim protections by penalizing unauthorized disclosure of confidential info, aligning with criminal justice reform goals of victim safety and rights.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill protects victim data privacy through criminal penalties for unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information, directly aligning with data privacy safeguards in technology policy.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Domestic Violence Human Trafficking

signed · Louisiana · Senate May 14, 2026

SB 96: MOTOR VEHICLES: Creates the "Fallen Heroes" prestige license plate. (8/1/26)

SB 96 creates a special "Fallen Heroes" license plate for Louisiana motor vehicles, requiring at least 1,000 applicants to activate the plate. It mandates an annual $25 fee (plus a $3.50 handling fee) for the plate, collected by the state motor vehicle department. The $25 fee is specifically directed to the Capital Area Law Enforcement Foundation to purchase bulletproof vests for Louisiana peace officers. This is a procedural bill focused on license plate design, fee collection, and fund allocation, with no other substantive policy changes.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates $25 annual fee to fund bulletproof vests for peace officers, directly allocating new revenue to essential public safety program.95% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeDirectly funds bulletproof vests for law enforcement officers via license plate fees, supporting officer safety within criminal justice system.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement

signed · Louisiana · House May 15, 2026

HB 125: SEX OFFENSE/REGISTRY: Provides relative to the supervised release of sex offenders (EN NO IMPACT See Note)

HB 125 amends Louisiana law to clarify and require courts to provide written notification to sex offenders about registration and notification rules at sentencing. It specifies registration periods (15 years, 25 years, or lifetime) and update frequencies (annually, every six months, or every 90 days) based on offense type, such as crimes against minors or aggravated offenses. The bill mandates that offenders provide detailed personal information - including addresses, employment, photos, DNA, and online identities - to law enforcement within three business days of moving, being released from custody, or changing residence. This applies directly to individuals convicted of sex offenses under Louisiana law, ensuring consistent implementation of registration requirements.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeClarifies and mandates detailed sex offender registration requirements, strengthening oversight and compliance in corrections.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Probation & Parole Sentencing

signed · Louisiana · House Jun 9, 2026

HB 159: CRIMINAL/SENTENCING: Creates a pretrial incarceration alternative pilot program in Caddo Parish (EN SEE FISC NOTE LF EX See Note)

HB 159 creates a pilot program in Caddo Parish, Louisiana, allowing eligible defendants to serve pretrial time at home under electronic monitoring instead of being held in jail. To qualify, defendants cannot face violent crime or sex offense charges (as defined by law) and must pass a risk assessment by the sheriff’s office, in coordination with the district attorney and court. Participants must follow conditions like curfews, possible mental health check-ins, and pay a sliding-scale fee for supervision (with lower costs for those who cannot afford full fees). The sheriff must develop program rules, evaluate its effectiveness, and report findings to legislative committees and Caddo Parish officials, with the program ending if a new or expanded jail opens in the parish.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeCreates pretrial home monitoring alternative for non-violent offenders, reducing unnecessary jail time and aligning with criminal justice reform goals.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Courts Sentencing

signed · Louisiana · Senate Jun 1, 2026

SB 134: CRIME/PUNISHMENT: Provides that certain crimes relative to child sexual abuse materials do not apply to persons under 17 under certain circumstances. (8/1/26)

This bill modifies Louisiana law to exempt individuals under 17 from certain child sexual abuse materials charges when they create or possess such materials without intending to gain something of value or secure a privilege. It specifies that the standard offense provisions do not apply to minors in these circumstances, instead directing that related rules (R.S. 14:81.1.1) govern such cases. The law directly affects minors under 17 who share or possess explicit materials for personal reasons, not for commercial gain or advantage. It does not change penalties for adults or cases involving minors who seek something in return.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeExempts minors under 17 from criminal charges for possessing child abuse materials without intent to profit, reducing punitive measures for young offenders - a reform approach.95% confidence

passed · Louisiana · House Apr 28, 2026

HB 525: PUBLIC SFTY/DEPARTMENT: Provides for the online publication and maintenance of certain data used and compiled by the DPS&C (EG NO IMPACT See Note)

HB 525 requires Louisiana's Department of Public Safety and Corrections (DPS&C) to publish specific correctional data online in downloadable formats (Excel and CSV) by October 2026. It mandates monthly publication of offender census data from parish and state facilities, demographic dashboards tracking prison populations, admission/release trends, and death data, along with supporting codebooks explaining data definitions and methodologies. The bill directly affects DPS&C (which must implement these changes) and the public (which gains access to anonymized, machine-readable data). Key provisions include requiring comparable data formats across facilities, maintaining an online dataset index, and submitting compliance reports to legislative committees by 2027. The law explicitly protects personally identifiable information through redaction while maximizing public access to aggregate data.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandates public data transparency on correctional demographics and trends, enabling oversight and data-driven reform efforts.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections

Track

in committee · Louisiana · House Mar 9, 2026

HB 435: CRIMINAL/RECORDS: Provides relative to expungements

HB 435 creates an expedited process for clearing certain arrest records in Louisiana at no cost to the individual. It applies directly to people arrested as 17-year-olds for offenses under Louisiana law, or those whose cases were dismissed, dismissed after a pretrial diversion, or ended in acquittal. The bill modifies court procedures to automatically qualify these individuals for expungement without requiring additional court hearings. This policy change simplifies access to record clearance for eligible residents who have no conviction record.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeAutomates expungement for dismissed/arrested youth cases, reducing barriers to opportunity and aligning with criminal justice reform goals.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts

Track

signed · Louisiana · Senate May 14, 2026

SB 87: CRIME/PUNISHMENT: Provides for consistent definition of "commercial sexual activity". (8/1/26)

SB 87 clarifies and standardizes the definition of "commercial sexual activity" across Louisiana's human trafficking and child trafficking laws. It defines this term as any sexual act performed when something of value (like money or goods) is exchanged, including the creation or sharing of child sexual abuse materials. This change directly affects law enforcement and prosecutors handling trafficking cases by creating a consistent legal standard for charging offenses under both R.S. 14:46.2 and 14:46.3. The bill ensures the same definition applies to both adult human trafficking and child trafficking for sexual purposes, removing potential ambiguity in prosecution.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeClarifies trafficking law definitions to standardize prosecutions, strengthening enforcement against commercial sexual activity under human trafficking statutes.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Human Trafficking Law Enforcement