relative to establishing a mandatory minimum sentence for the crime of distribution of a controlled drug with death resulting.

SB 15 proposes a sentencing option called "hard labor" for individuals convicted of capital murder or severe sexual assault on children under 13, correcting a mismatched title referencing drug distribution. The bill requires a separate jury sentencing hearing where 9 of 12 jurors must unanimously agree the crime was "especially heinous" or involved deliberate cruelty, before imposing life imprisonment at hard labor. Hard labor would involve 8+ hours daily of physically demanding tasks like construction or farming, with strict medical exemptions for documented health conditions requiring independent review. The bill also mandates prison staff training on constitutional standards and annual reporting on exemption requests, but remains pending committee approval.