HB 168 Louisiana House · 2026 Regular Session

CORRECTIONS: Creates a transitional reentry program for female parolees (EN SEE FISC NOTE GF EX)

HB 168 establishes a structured transitional reentry program in Louisiana for female parolees, administered by the Department of Public Safety and Corrections. It directly affects women who have served at least five years in prison, have no sex offense convictions, are within six months of release, have no recent disciplinary issues, and voluntarily agree to participate. The program aims to support their safe community reintegration through tailored preparation, requiring parole eligibility and adherence to department-established screening. This policy creates a formal pathway for eligible female parolees to access reentry services before release.

Issues: ✓ Criminal Justice

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

May 2026

House Passage

Apr 2026

Senate Passage

May 2026

Signed into Law

May 2026

Introduced Feb 18, 2026 Signed May 22, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB168 Original → HB168 Act 290 · 3 edits

MINOR

This bill was finalized and enrolled with a significant update to its legal text. The primary substantive change is the addition of a repeal clause that removes an existing law (R.S. 15:828.4) regarding parole, while simultaneously establishing a new transitional reentry program for female parolees. The eligibility criteria for the new program were reorganized and clarified, shifting from a numbered list to an alphabetical list within the statute.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded by adding an explicit repeal of an existing parole-related statute (R.S. 15:828.4) in addition to creating the new reentry program.

REQUIREMENT

Added a provision to repeal R.S. 15:828.4, removing an existing legal requirement related to parole.

ELIGIBILITY

Reorganized the eligibility criteria for the female parolee reentry program from a numbered list to an alphabetical list (a through e) within the statute.

TECHNICAL

Updated the bill header to reflect the enrolled status, added multiple co-sponsors, and corrected the legislative session year from 2026 to 2025.

Floor votes · Senate May 13, 2026 · House Apr 8, 2026

How they voted

33–0

Passed · 7 other

Total votes 40

May 13, 2026

D Democratic12

9 Yea 3

75% Yea

R Republican28

24 Yea 4

85% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

May 13, 2026

Upper · Passed

Rules suspended. Read by title, passed by a vote of 32 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

upper

May 6, 2026

Committee

Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.

upper

May 5, 2026

Upper · Passed

Rules suspended. Reported favorably.

upper

Apr 8, 2026

Lower · Passed

Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 95, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.

lower

Mar 31, 2026

Lower · Passed

Reported with amendments (8-0).

lower

Mar 9, 2026

Committee

Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice.

lower

Feb 18, 2026

Committee

Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice.

lower

1 primary · 37 co-sponsors