HB 656 establishes a pilot program to provide structured programming to specific inmates in Louisiana. It directly affects juvenile offenders and inmates held in parish jails or prisons under the Department of Public Safety and Corrections (DPS&C). The program must include rehabilitation services (education/vocational training), mental health support, and suicide prevention initiatives. Programming will be delivered in-person or via video for accessibility, with DPS&C required to create implementing rules. This bill focuses on expanding access to support services within correctional facilities.
HB 404 establishes a medication-assisted treatment (MAT) program for incarcerated individuals in Louisiana state and local correctional facilities who have substance abuse disorders. The bill requires facilities to provide FDA-approved medications (like methadone or buprenorphine), individual treatment plans, counseling, and reentry support - including Medicaid enrollment assistance, housing/employment resources, and a one-week medication supply upon release. It mandates annual reporting on program effectiveness, including recidivism and health outcomes, and prohibits denying program access based on drug screenings or past disciplinary issues. The program directly affects all incarcerated people in Louisiana facilities with substance use disorders, aiming to improve treatment continuity and reduce relapse post-release.
HB 432 requires Louisiana's Department of Public Safety and Corrections to collect and report specific data on incarcerated individuals, including their last known residential address before imprisonment, race, ethnicity, and age. This data will adjust the state's redistricting process so that incarcerated people are counted in their pre-incarceration communities - not at correctional facilities - when drawing legislative and local government districts. The Secretary of State must publish the adjusted population data within 30 days of federal redistricting data release. This ensures district boundaries reflect actual resident populations rather than prison locations, aligning with federal census practices.
HB 211 creates Louisiana's "Homelessness Court Program," establishing specialized court divisions to address homelessness through treatment and support instead of incarceration. It directly affects individuals experiencing homelessness charged with misdemeanors or felonies related to public camping or survival needs, requiring courts to screen eligible defendants for the program. Key provisions include mandatory substance abuse and mental health treatment, housing/job assistance partnerships, and a new criminal penalty for "unauthorized camping on public property" (with exceptions for shelter access). The program aims to reduce recidivism, court workloads, and prison overcrowding by integrating health care, housing, and rehabilitation services under judicial supervision.
HB 333 limits where Louisiana can house inmates by requiring the Department of Public Safety and Corrections to keep them within 30 miles of either the parish where their crime occurred or their residence. This directly affects inmates committed to state correctional facilities and the department, which must now adjust housing assignments to comply. The bill amends existing law to add this geographic restriction as a new requirement, overriding previous practices that allowed broader transfers. It does not change sentencing or release policies but mandates specific location constraints for inmate placement. (Note: The bill is currently in early legislative stages as of February 2026.)
HB 323 requires Louisiana correctional facilities to notify an inmate's immediate family within 12 hours of death (excluding overnight hours), provide a written condolence letter, and submit a detailed report within 30 days. The report must include demographics (age, race, gender), cause of death, circumstances, and investigation details, and be made publicly available online. The Louisiana Department of Health collects annual data on inmate deaths for analysis, and the Department of Public Safety must publish a facility-level public report by December 31st. Violations of these requirements carry penalties of up to six months in jail or a $1,000 fine.
SB 344 would make it illegal to store a firearm unsecured (not in a locked container or with a tamper-resistant trigger lock) on property under a person's control if they know or should know a minor (under 18) or a prohibited person (e.g., banned due to a crime, mental health issue, or protective order) might access it. It directly affects firearm owners on their own property, such as parents or guardians. The bill includes exceptions for firearms carried on the person, unlawful entry, or supervised hunting with permission. Violations carry fines up to $500 or 6 months in jail; if injury occurs, penalties increase to up to $1,000 or 1 year in jail. The law explicitly states it does not affect constitutional rights to keep firearms under Louisiana or U.S. Constitution.
HB 191 prevents overlapping jail credit for defendants serving consecutive sentences on multiple charges. It requires that time spent in actual custody counts toward only one sentence, not multiple consecutive sentences. The bill invalidates any previous jail credit awarded in violation of this rule, declaring it "null, void, and of no effect." This change directly affects individuals convicted of multiple offenses who may have previously received double-counted credit for the same time served.
HB 843 creates the Sexual Assault Survivor Empowerment and Privacy Protection Act in Louisiana, directly affecting victims of sexual offenses (defined under state law). It allows these victims to request the removal of their personal information - including home addresses, phone numbers, Social Security numbers, and employment details - from public records and websites. Public bodies and third parties must remove this information within 72 hours of a valid written request, with failure to comply risking misdemeanor penalties (up to 18 months in jail or $5,000 fine). The law does not apply to records maintained by the secretary of state’s office, and it includes specific definitions for terms like "protected individual" and "personal information."
HB 823 establishes a pilot program in Orleans Parish that offers homeless individuals facing criminal charges an alternative to court proceedings. Instead of traditional sentencing, eligible defendants can participate in a diversion program providing housing assistance, mental health services, job training, and substance abuse treatment. If participants successfully complete the program’s requirements, the criminal charges are dismissed without a conviction. The program requires annual evaluations and reporting to the Louisiana Supreme Court, aiming to reduce recidivism, court workload, and prison overcrowding while addressing homelessness through community partnerships.
