HB 163 Louisiana House · 2025 Regular Session

CRIMINAL/VICTIMS: Provides relative to victims of certain sex-related crimes (EN INCREASE SD RV See Note)

HB 163 modifies Louisiana law concerning victims of certain sex-related crimes by amending specific sections (R.S. 15:539.1(F)(3) and 539.2) to clarify how courts handle fines and forfeitures from related cases. It directly affects victims in these cases by ensuring court-ordered financial penalties remain unchanged under the revised provisions. The bill’s key mechanism adds a specific statement that court dispositions of fines under R.S. 15:571.11 are not altered by these changes. As of May 2025, it has passed committee amendments and is pending third reading in the legislature.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Mar 2025
Committee Review
Jun 2025
House Passage
May 2025
Senate Passage
Jun 2025
Signed into Law
Jun 2025
Introduced Mar 31, 2025 Signed Jun 10, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB163 Original HB163 Act · 4 edits
MODERATE
This bill simplifies the legal text for victims of sex-related crimes by removing references to a repealed statute and updating the list of qualifying offenses. It establishes a mandatory $2,000 monetary assessment for specific serious crimes involving minors or exploitation, which is added to existing fines rather than replacing them. The collected funds are directed to the Exploited Children's Survivor Special Fund to support services for victims, with a new provision allowing courts to set up payment plans for indigent offenders.
Scope change
The bill expands the scope of offenses triggering mandatory assessments to include a broader range of crimes, such as domestic abuse battery and various forms of sexual battery, while removing references to a repealed law.
ELIGIBILITY

Updated the list of qualifying offenses to include domestic abuse battery, sexual battery, and aggravated kidnapping, while removing references to the repealed R.S. 15:539.4.

REQUIREMENT

Established a mandatory $2,000 monetary assessment for convicted offenders, which must be paid in addition to any existing fines.

ENFORCEMENT

Authorized courts to order periodic payment plans for indigent offenders who are unable to pay the mandatory assessment immediately.

FISCAL

Clarified that 50% of forfeited property proceeds go to the Exploited Children's Survivor Special Fund, with funds used for housing, health, and social services for exploited children and adults.

Floor votes · Senate Jun 4, 2025 · House May 14, 2025

How they voted

340
Passed · 3 other
Total votes 37
Jun 4, 2025
D Democratic11
9 Yea 2
81% Yea
R Republican26
25 Yea 1
96% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
25
Key actions
5
Committee
7
Jun 4, 2025
Upper · Passed
Rules suspended. Read by title, passed by a vote of 36 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.
upper
Jun 3, 2025
Committee
Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.
upper
Jun 2, 2025
Upper · Passed
Reported favorably.
upper
May 29, 2025
Committee
Read by title. Recommitted to the Committee on Revenue and Fiscal Affairs.
upper
May 28, 2025
Upper · Passed
Reported favorably.
upper
May 14, 2025
Lower · Passed
Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 93, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.
lower
May 7, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reported with amendments (10-0).
lower
Apr 14, 2025
Committee
Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice.
lower
Mar 31, 2025
Committee
Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice.
lower
1 primary · 1 co-sponsor

Sponsors