HB 436: VETERANS: Authorizes the appointment of veterans as wardens at state and municipal parks - Louisiana

HB436 Original → HB436 Act · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill updates the legal definition of a 'veteran' from a broad category to specifically require an 'honorable discharge' status for two roles: municipal park police officers and state park wardens. It also clarifies that municipalities can deputize these veterans for law enforcement duties outside their city limits, provided they meet specific training or certification standards.

Scope change

The bill narrows the eligibility criteria for veterans serving in park-related law enforcement roles by adding a mandatory 'honorable discharge' requirement and clarifies the geographic scope of their arrest authority.

ELIGIBILITY

Changed the definition of eligible veterans from a general category to specifically require an 'honorable discharge' for both municipal park police and state park warden positions.

DEFINITION

Updated the legal citation for the definition of a veteran from R.S. 13:5364 to R.S. 15:1199.23 to align with current state statutes.

REQUIREMENT

Added a provision allowing municipalities to deputize veterans for arrests outside corporate limits, contingent on the veteran meeting Council on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) requirements or being certified by that council.

ENFORCEMENT

Clarified that appointed veterans can make arrests for ordinance violations both within and without the municipality's corporate limits.

HB436 Enrolled → HB436 Original · 3 edits

MINOR

This bill updates the definition of 'veteran' to include members of the Space Force and other federal agencies, and clarifies that municipalities can appoint veterans as police officers in parks without requiring them to be 'honorably discharged.' It also removes the specific requirement that state park wardens must be 'honorably discharged.' These changes broaden the pool of eligible veterans for park security roles and align the language with modern military branches.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of eligible individuals by removing the 'honorably discharged' requirement for both municipal police officers and state park wardens, and by updating the definition of veteran to include the Space Force and specific federal agencies.

ELIGIBILITY

Removed the requirement that appointed veterans must be 'honorably discharged' for both municipal park police officers and state park wardens.

DEFINITION

Updated the definition of 'veteran' to explicitly include members of the Space Force and commissioned officers of specific federal agencies like the Public Health Service and NOAA.

TECHNICAL

Removed redundant text regarding the deputization of veterans and consolidated the legislative text to match the enrolled version.

HB436 Engrossed → HB436 Enrolled · 4 edits · May 7, 2026

MODERATE

The bill transitioned from an 'Engrossed' version to an 'Enrolled' version, indicating it has passed all legislative stages and is ready for the Governor's signature. The substantive policy content regarding the appointment of veterans as park wardens remains unchanged, but the final document now includes official signatures from the Speaker of the House, President of the Senate, and Governor, confirming its final enactment.

Scope change

The bill's scope and applicability remain unchanged; only the document status shifted from a pending legislative version to the final enrolled version.

TECHNICAL

Removed the House Legislative Services digest and abstract, which are informational summaries not part of the actual law.

REMOVED

Removed the 'Engrossed' title and page count (Page 1 of 3), replacing them with 'Enrolled' and 'Page 1 of 2' to reflect the final version.

ADDED

Added official signatures and titles for the Speaker of the House, President of the Senate, and Governor of Louisiana.

MODIFIED

Adjusted the page count notation from 3 pages to 2 pages in the final enrolled version.

VETERANS: Authorizes the appointment of veterans as wardens at state and municipal parks

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