Criminal Justice

signed · Louisiana · House May 29, 2026

HB 330: CRIMINAL/PENALTIES: Provides relative to the desecration of graves and religious institutions (EN SEE FISC NOTE LF RV)

HB 330 amends Louisiana law to strengthen penalties for damaging graves and religious institutions. It increases fines for grave desecration to up to $500,000 or six months in jail (plus mandatory restitution), and for religious building vandalism, fines range from $500 to $5,000 based on damage costs (with imprisonment up to two years for $500+ damage). The bill directly affects individuals who intentionally damage graves or religious structures, requiring courts to order offenders to pay for the damage sustained. These provisions apply to all such offenses, with enhanced penalties specifically for religious sites.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill increases penalties for grave/religious vandalism with stricter fines/jail terms, directly expanding criminalization without reform elements.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Victims' Rights

signed · Louisiana · House May 11, 2026

HB 131: CRIMINAL/PROCEDURE: Provides relative to post-conviction relief

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.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeRestricts post-conviction appeals by denying relief for procedural failures, limiting defendant rights and opposing reform efforts.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts

signed · Louisiana · Senate May 29, 2026

SB 81: CRIMINAL PROCEDURE: Provides relative to waiver of a trial by jury in a noncapital felony case. (See Act)

SB 81 requires written consent from the district attorney for defendants to waive a jury trial in noncapital felony cases. It changes Louisiana law to mandate that courts deny such waiver requests without the prosecutor's written approval, effective within 45 days before trial. The bill's implementation depends on voter approval of a related constitutional amendment (Article 1, Section 17(A)). This directly affects defendants in noncapital felony cases and prosecutors who must now provide written consent for jury waivers. The bill is currently in the prefiling stage (prefiled February 20, 2026) and not yet enacted.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeRestricts defendant rights by requiring prosecutor consent for jury trial waiver, denying waiver without it per bill language.85% confidence

signed · Louisiana · House May 15, 2026

HB 82: DWI: Provides relative to penalties for DWI offenses (EN SEE FISC NOTE GF EX)

HB 82 amends penalties for Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) offenses by changing a specific penalty duration from "twelve months" to "twelve years." This change directly affects individuals convicted of DWI offenses, significantly increasing the potential jail time for certain violations. The bill modifies an existing penalty provision within the DWI statute, focusing on the length of incarceration rather than introducing new categories or requirements. As a substantive policy change, it represents a major adjustment to sentencing for DWI convictions in the jurisdiction.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeIncreases DWI penalties from 12 months to 12 years, raising mandatory incarceration without rehabilitation focus95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Sentencing

signed · Louisiana · Senate May 22, 2026

SB 93: CRIMINAL PROCEDURE: Establishes minimum bond amounts for certain offenses. (8/1/26)

SB 93 establishes minimum bail amounts for two specific offenses under Louisiana law: $50,000 for possession of child sexual abuse materials (R.S. 14:81.1) and $100,000 for production of such materials. This bill directly affects defendants charged with these offenses and Louisiana district courts, which must set bail at or above these minimums. The key provision requires courts using a bail schedule to enforce these fixed minimums, though judges may adjust bail higher for "good cause" under limited circumstances, such as rearrest on new charges.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeMandates minimum bail for serious offenses, restricting pretrial release and reducing defendant rights without reform provisions.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Drug Policy

signed · Louisiana · House Jun 9, 2026

HB 784: SEX OFFENSE/REGISTRY: Provides relative to sex offender registration and notification requirements

HB 784 updates Louisiana's sex offender registration laws by expanding the definition of "sex offense" to include specific crimes like human trafficking (R.S. 14:46.2), certain deepfake violations (R.S. 14:73.13), and offenses against minors such as child pornography (R.S. 14:81.1) and molestation (R.S. 14:81.2). It requires individuals convicted of these offenses to register with law enforcement within three business days of establishing Louisiana residency. The bill also clarifies registration requirements for offenders convicted under other jurisdictions' laws and updates court notification forms. This affects anyone convicted of the specified offenses who must comply with Louisiana's registration system.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeExpands sex offense definitions and tightens registration deadlines, increasing criminalization and restrictions on offenders.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Human Trafficking Law Enforcement

signed · Louisiana · House May 15, 2026

HB 275: CHILDREN/ABUSE: Provides relative to the minimum sentencing for child domestic abuse convictions (EN SEE FISC NOTE GF EX)

HB 275 (Louisiana) creates a "Domestic Abuse Child Endangerment Law" that increases penalties for domestic abuse battery when a child under 13 is present. The bill mandates a minimum 3-year prison sentence (up to 6 years) for offenders convicted of domestic abuse battery if a minor child 13 or younger was present at the scene. This directly affects individuals convicted of domestic abuse battery in Louisiana where children were present during the incident. The law adds this mandatory sentencing requirement to existing penalties under Louisiana law, without changing the core definition of the crime.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeMandates minimum 3-year prison sentence for domestic abuse battery with child present, increasing mandatory penalties per 'oppose' indicators.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Domestic Violence Sentencing

signed · Louisiana · House Jun 9, 2026

HB 414: HEALTH: Provides for prohibitions on hiring individuals with certain criminal convictions

HB 414 prohibits employers from hiring nonlicensed healthcare workers or licensed ambulance personnel who have been convicted of specific crimes, including violent offenses, drug trafficking, or certain other serious violations. It directly affects healthcare employers in Louisiana and individuals with qualifying criminal records seeking these jobs. The bill requires employers to conduct criminal history checks; if a conviction matches the prohibited offenses listed (e.g., assault, drug distribution), hiring is barred, and existing employees must be terminated immediately. The law repeals a previous exception (R.S. 40:1203.3(B)) but does not create new appeal processes for the hiring ban.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeProhibits employment of individuals with certain convictions in healthcare, restricting rehabilitation pathways and limiting reintegration opportunities for formerly incarcerated people.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Violent Crime

signed · Louisiana · House Jun 8, 2026

HB 429: CRIME/THEFT: Adds theft or unauthorized entry of a critical infrastructure as a predicate crime for terrorism (EN SEE FISC NOTE GF EX)

HB 429 adds theft or unauthorized entry of oil and gas facilities - including drilling, production, transportation, and storage equipment - as a specific act that qualifies as terrorism under Louisiana law. It directly affects individuals who steal or trespass at these facilities by making such acts punishable as terrorism, not just theft. The bill defines "critical infrastructure" to explicitly include oil and gas operations and sets a minimum 20-year prison sentence for terrorism convictions involving these facilities. This amendment changes the legal classification of such crimes, increasing penalties for offenses previously treated as theft.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeExpands criminalization of theft at oil/gas facilities as terrorism with 20+ year mandatory sentences, increasing penalties and restricting defendant rights.95% confidence ✓ EnergySupports EnergyProtects oil and gas infrastructure (a core energy production sector) by classifying theft as terrorism, strengthening security for critical energy facilities.95% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationBill explicitly targets theft of oil/gas transportation infrastructure as terrorism, strengthening protection of transportation assets through criminal penalties.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Oil & Gas

signed · Louisiana · House May 14, 2026

HB 336: CRIMINAL/PROCEDURE: Provides relative to post-conviction relief

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.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill restricts post-conviction relief by mandating strict requirements (good cause, non-frivolous claims) and automatic dismissal for non-compliance, limiting defendant rights in criminal justice process.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts