PARDON/PAROLE: Prohibits the assessment of any fees or costs against certain individuals who request a copy of testimony presented in executive session before the Board of Pardons and committee on parole
HB 322 prohibits Louisiana state agencies from charging fees or costs to victims, spouses of victims, next of kin of deceased victims, or legal guardians who request copies of testimony from private hearings of the Board of Pardons and parole committee. The bill specifically amends state law to remove financial barriers for these individuals seeking testimony records related to parole or pardon proceedings. It does not affect other requesters or prevent law enforcement from sharing information as required by law. The policy change directly impacts those with direct connections to cases reviewed by these boards.
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 24, 2026
Signed May 22, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons
What changed between versions
HB322 Original
→
HB322 Act 300
·
3 edits
MINOR
The bill was converted from a draft version to an enrolled Act (Act No. 300), indicating it has been signed into law. The substantive policy content regarding the prohibition of fees for victims requesting executive session testimony remains unchanged, but the effective date mechanism was updated to reflect the standard legal process for bills approved by the legislature after a gubernatorial veto.
Scope change
The scope of the law itself did not change; the change is procedural, moving the document from a draft status to an official enacted law.
TIMELINE
The effective date provision was updated to specify that the law becomes effective on the day following approval by the legislature if the governor vetoes the bill, aligning with the standard constitutional process for overriding vetoes.
TECHNICAL
The 'Digest' section, which provides a non-binding summary of the bill's intent and abstract, was removed as it is not part of the final enacted law.
Official signatures and titles for the Speaker of the House, President of the Senate, and Governor were added to certify the bill as an enrolled Act.
Floor votes · Senate May 18, 2026 · House Apr 14, 2026
How they voted
36–0
Passed · 4 other
Total votes 40
May 18, 2026
D
Democratic12
83% Yea
R
Republican28
92% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
20
Key actions
4
Committee
5
May 18, 2026
Upper · Passed
Rules suspended. Read by title, passed by a vote of 35 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 14, 2026
Lower · Passed
Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 99, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.
lower
Apr 8, 2026
Lower · Passed
Reported favorably (10-0).
lower
Mar 9, 2026
Committee
Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice.
lower
Feb 24, 2026
Committee
Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice.
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Michael Melerine
RRepublican
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