HB 68 Louisiana House · 2026 Regular Session

CRIME: Provides relative to conduct that constitutes disturbing the peace (EN SEE FISC NOTE GF EX)

HB 68 adds a specific offense to Louisiana's disturbing the peace law, prohibiting the interruption of worship services or religious ceremonies at churches or other places of worship. The bill defines this conduct as disturbing the peace, with penalties including fines up to $500, imprisonment up to six months, or both, and requires at least 15 days of the sentence to be served without probation. This law directly affects individuals who disrupt religious gatherings, making such interruptions a criminal offense. The bill does not change existing penalties for other disturbing the peace violations but specifically targets disruptions at religious sites.

Issues: ✗ Criminal Justice

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

Apr 2026

House Passage

May 2026

Senate Passage

Apr 2026

Signed into Law

May 2026

Introduced Feb 2, 2026 Signed May 15, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB68 Original → HB68 Act · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill updates Louisiana's law on disturbing the peace to specifically protect religious services. It adds new conduct that constitutes a crime, such as interrupting worship services through violence, loud noise, or physical obstruction. The penalties for these offenses have been increased, and the law now includes specific definitions for places of worship and religious organizations.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of 'disturbing the peace' to explicitly include interruptions of religious ceremonies at churches or other places of worship.

SCOPE

Added specific conduct that constitutes disturbing the peace, including violent behavior, abusive language, or physical obstruction during worship services.

ENFORCEMENT

Increased the mandatory minimum time served without probation from 15 days to 30 days for disturbing the peace during religious services.

Established enhanced penalties for committing simple battery, property damage, or disturbing the peace while armed during a religious service.

DEFINITION

Added new definitions for 'church or other place of worship', 'funeral', 'funeral route', and 'religious organization' to clarify the law's application.

Floor votes · Senate Apr 22, 2026 · House Mar 24, 2026

How they voted

29–8

Passed · 3 other

Total votes 40

Apr 22, 2026

D Democratic12

2 Yea 8 Nay 2

66% Nay

R Republican28

27 Yea 1

96% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

May 11, 2026

Lower · Passed

Read by title, roll called, yeas 69, nays 22, Senate amendments concurred in.

lower

Apr 22, 2026

Upper · Passed

Senate floor amendments read and adopted. Read by title, passed by a vote of 29 yeas and 8 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 70, nays 31. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.

lower

Mar 18, 2026

Lower · Passed

Reported with amendments (11-0).

lower

Mar 9, 2026

Committee

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

lower

Feb 2, 2026

Committee

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

lower

1 primary · 31 co-sponsors