CRIME: Provides relative to criminal blighting of property

HB 426 amends Louisiana law to define "criminal blighting of property" as intentionally or negligently allowing property deterioration that has been officially declared blighted or a public nuisance by a hearing officer. It directly affects property owners, their agents, or anyone in control of the property. The key provision links criminal liability to formal administrative findings under existing laws (R.S. 13:2575-2576), requiring an official declaration before the offense applies. This changes the legal standard by adding "criminally negligent" permitting to the definition, making it clearer when property owners may face criminal charges for neglect. The bill is currently in early committee review with no votes taken yet.