SCHOOLS: Prohibits the use of deepfake material against students enrolled in K-12. (8/1/26)
SB 346 prohibits K-12 schools and staff from creating or sharing deepfake audio or video content intended to coerce, harass, intimidate, or maliciously distribute against students. It defines "deepfake" as digitally altered media falsely appearing authentic (excluding political satire, news commentary, or clearly disclosed parodies), and requires the State Board of Education to develop implementation rules. The law directly affects all Louisiana public and private K-12 students and school employees, banning the use of manipulated media for harmful purposes. Key provisions include clear prohibitions on malicious deepfakes while preserving protected speech like satire, with enforcement through state education rules. The bill is currently pending in the Education Committee.
Bill status
signed
all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2026
Committee Review
May 2026
Senate Passage
May 2026
House Passage
May 2026
Signed into Law
May 2026
Introduced Feb 27, 2026
Signed May 29, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons
What changed between versions
SB346 Original
→
SB346 Act 496
·
3 edits
MINOR
The bill was enrolled and signed into law, expanding the list of sponsors to include Representatives Chassion, Freiberg, Terry, Landry, Schlegel, and Taylor. The definition of 'deepfake' was updated to explicitly include scenarios where a likeness is replaced with another individual, and it added a specific exemption for material with political, public interest, or newsworthy value, such as satire or parody, provided it is clearly disclosed as not being real.
Scope change
The bill's scope remains focused on prohibiting the use of deepfake material against K-12 students, but the definition of the prohibited material was broadened to cover likeness replacements, while simultaneously creating a legal exemption for certain types of commentary and satire.
DEFINITION
The definition of 'deepfake' was changed from lowercase to lowercase and expanded to explicitly cover instances where an individual's likeness is replaced with another individual's likeness.
A new exemption was added stating that deepfake laws do not apply to material with political, public interest, or newsworthy value, including satire or parody, if it includes clear disclosure that the content is not real.
TECHNICAL
The bill text was updated to reflect its status as an enrolled Act No. 496, and the list of co-sponsors was expanded to include several Representatives.
Floor votes · Senate May 5, 2026 · House May 19, 2026
How they voted
36–0
Passed · 4 other
Total votes 40
May 5, 2026
D
Democratic12
91% Yea
R
Republican28
89% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
18
Key actions
4
Committee
4
Amendments
1
May 19, 2026
Lower · Passed
Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 96, nays 0. Finally passed, ordered to the Senate.
lower
May 13, 2026
Introduced
Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments.
lower
May 12, 2026
Lower · Passed
Reported favorably (10-0). Referred to the Legislative Bureau.
lower
May 7, 2026
Committee
Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Education.
lower
May 5, 2026
Upper · Passed
Read by title, passed by a vote of 35 yeas and 0 nays, and sent to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.
upper
Apr 22, 2026
Upper · Passed
Rules suspended. Reported with amendments.
upper
Mar 9, 2026
Committee
Introduced in the Senate; read by title. Rules suspended. Read second time and referred to the Committee on Education.
upper
1 primary · 5 co-sponsors
Sponsors
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