HB 56 Louisiana House · 2026 Regular Session

DWI: Provides relative to the imposition of fines for driving while impaired (EN DECREASE SD RV See Note)

HB 56 repeals specific sections of Louisiana law that imposed additional fines for driving while impaired (DWI). It directly affects drivers convicted of DWI in Louisiana by removing four designated fine amounts from the legal code. The bill's key mechanism is the complete removal of these provisions (R.S. 14:98.1(A)(4), 98.2(A)(5), 98.3(A)(4), and 98.4(A)(3)) without replacing them with new fines or penalties. This change would eliminate those specific additional fines for DWI convictions, though it does not alter the base penalties or other aspects of DWI law.

Issues: ✓ Criminal Justice

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Apr 2026

House Passage

Mar 2026

Senate Passage

Apr 2026

Signed into Law

Apr 2026

Introduced Jan 30, 2026 Signed Apr 30, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB56 Original → HB56 Act 8 · 3 edits

MINOR

This bill removes specific additional fines for driving while impaired that were previously required to be deposited into the Louisiana Emergency Response Network Fund. The changes eliminate mandatory surcharges of $25, $50, $100, and $250 for first through fourth or subsequent offenses, respectively. This reduces the financial penalties for impaired driving but does not alter the base fines or the criminal nature of the offense.

Scope change

The bill's scope is narrowed by removing the requirement to pay extra fines for impaired driving, though the underlying prohibition against driving while impaired remains in effect.

FISCAL

Eliminated mandatory additional fines of $25 for a first offense, $50 for a second offense, $100 for a third offense, and $250 for a fourth or subsequent offense.

Removed the requirement that these additional fines be deposited into the Louisiana Emergency Response Network Fund.

TECHNICAL

Updated document formatting and headers to reflect the bill's final approval as Act No. 8.

Floor votes · Senate Apr 14, 2026 · House Mar 24, 2026

How they voted

36–0

Passed · 4 other

Total votes 40

Apr 14, 2026

D Democratic12

10 Yea 2

83% Yea

R Republican28

26 Yea 2

92% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Apr 14, 2026

Upper · Passed

Read by title, passed by a vote of 35 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

upper

Apr 8, 2026

Committee

Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.

upper

Apr 7, 2026

Upper · Passed

Reported favorably.

upper

Mar 24, 2026

Lower · Passed

Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 97, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.

lower

Mar 18, 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

Jan 30, 2026

Committee

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

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors