Criminal Justice

HB 57 amends Louisiana law governing temporary restraining orders (TROs) in abuse cases. It requires courts to give the respondent (the person accused of abuse) an opportunity to rebut and respond to any criminal history evidence considered when granting a TRO without notice. The bill also specifies that courts must provide the respondent with 24-hour notice of the TRO and the subsequent hearing, and mandates that the petitioner prove abuse allegations by a preponderance of the evidence at the hearing. This applies to all TRO proceedings where criminal history is used as evidence, directly affecting petitioners, respondents, and courts handling these cases.

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.

This bill is a concurrent resolution that formally commends Crimestoppers of Greater New Orleans on its 45th anniversary and designates March 2026 as Louisiana Crimestoppers Month. The resolution recognizes the organization's work in connecting citizens with law enforcement through anonymous tip programs across multiple Louisiana parishes and schools. It highlights the group's achievements, including over 100,000 tips received and nearly 27,000 felony arrests facilitated since its founding in 1981. As a commemorative measure, the bill does not create new laws or funding but serves to acknowledge the organization's contributions to public safety.