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LouisianaHB 10382026 Regular SessionHouse

LAW ENFORCEMENT: Provides relative to the authority of a marshal to issue commissions to deputy marshals

Sponsored By: Chad Michael Boyer (Republican)

Signed by Governor

Judiciary BJudiciary

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

4 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

Marshals and deputies gain peace-officer status

Beginning January 1, 2027, Louisiana city and ward marshals and covered deputies are recognized as peace officers. Marshals have regular law-enforcement powers, subject to the law’s limits. They remain responsible for carrying out their city court’s orders. The peace-officer definition also includes sheriff’s deputies whose duties involve inmate care, custody, and control. The law preserves existing supplemental pay for marshals and deputies without setting new pay amounts.

Marshals gain emergency and event powers

Beginning January 1, 2027, special police powers apply in marshal jurisdictions serving 40,000 people or fewer. The count uses the latest federal census taken every 10 years. Marshals and deputies have full law-enforcement powers during emergencies declared by both the governor and the local governing authority. Those powers end when the emergency ends or the declaration ceases. At locally permitted special events, marshals have full police powers for the event and must coordinate with the permitting authority. These rules do not apply when the marshal also serves as the municipality’s police chief.

Small-area marshals gain defined court powers

Beginning January 1, 2027, marshals and deputies serving 40,000 people or fewer have defined court-related arrest and custody powers. Population is measured by the latest federal census taken every 10 years. They can carry out attachments, bench warrants, and arrest orders from a city court within their territory. Custody during civil enforcement must be reasonably necessary to serve or carry out the court’s papers, including evictions and seizures. They can detain or arrest for direct contempt and specified crimes or local violations occurring before the court or on its grounds. These rules do not apply when the marshal also serves as the municipality’s police chief. Existing public services, such as funeral escorts and traffic control, can continue.

Marshal police limits balance legal protections

Beginning January 1, 2027, general police-work limits apply to marshals and deputies serving 40,000 people or fewer. The count uses the latest federal census taken every 10 years. Unless expressly authorized by the local governing authority, they cannot perform general police work, traffic stops, criminal investigations, or warrantless arrests. They also cannot execute other courts’ arrest warrants or obtain a commission from the law-enforcement agency with primary jurisdiction. These limits do not apply when the marshal also serves as the municipality’s police chief. Marshals can request help from or coordinate with state police agencies, parish sheriffs, and municipal police. In coordinated work, the authorized agency alone must make arrests unless another law allows otherwise. Local authorities can grant marshals and deputies peace-officer powers and duties by ordinance, but are not required to do so. When a city marshal’s territory extends into a ward, the authority where the city court is located can pass that ordinance. City and ward marshals and deputies count as public-entity officers under the state immunity law. That status does not settle any specific claim, and acting outside the statutory limits can lead to civil liability.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Chad Michael Boyer

    Republican • House

Cosponsors

  • Bryan Fontenot

    Republican • House

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 229 • No: 18

House vote • 5/29/2026

Read by title, roll called, yeas 97, nays 1, Senate amendments concurred in.

Yes: 97 • No: 1

Senate vote • 5/27/2026

The amended bill was read by title, passed by a vote of 31 yeas and 7 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

Yes: 31 • No: 7

House vote • 4/21/2026

Read third time by title, amended, roll called on final passage, yeas 93, nays 8. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.

Yes: 93 • No: 8

House vote • 4/14/2026

Reported with amendments

Yes: 8 • No: 2

Actions Timeline

  1. Signed by the Governor. Becomes Act No. 866.

    6/9/2026House

  2. Effective date: 01/01/2027.

    6/9/2026House

  3. Signed by the President of the Senate.

    6/1/2026Senate

  4. Sent to the Governor for executive approval.

    6/1/2026House

  5. Enrolled and signed by the Speaker of the House.

    5/31/2026House

  6. Scheduled for concurrence on 05/29/2026.

    5/29/2026House

  7. Read by title, roll called, yeas 97, nays 1, Senate amendments concurred in.

    5/29/2026House

  8. Received from the Senate with amendments.

    5/28/2026House

  9. Called from the Calendar.

    5/27/2026Senate

  10. The amended bill was read by title, passed by a vote of 31 yeas and 7 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

    5/27/2026Senate

  11. Rules suspended.

    5/25/2026Senate

  12. Senate floor amendments read and adopted.

    5/25/2026Senate

  13. Read by title and returned to the Calendar, subject to call.

    5/25/2026Senate

  14. Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments. Read by title and passed to third reading and final passage.

    5/20/2026Senate

  15. Committee amendments read and adopted. Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.

    5/19/2026Senate

  16. Reported with amendments.

    5/18/2026Senate

  17. Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Judiciary B.

    4/27/2026Senate

  18. Received in the Senate. Read first time by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.

    4/22/2026Senate

  19. Read third time by title, amended, roll called on final passage, yeas 93, nays 8. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.

    4/21/2026House

  20. Scheduled for floor debate on 04/21/2026.

    4/20/2026House

  21. Read by title, amended, ordered engrossed, passed to 3rd reading.

    4/15/2026House

  22. Reported with amendments (8-2).

    4/14/2026House

  23. Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

    3/31/2026House

  24. Discharged from the Committee on Judiciary.

    3/31/2026House

  25. Read by title, recommitted to the Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice.

    3/31/2026House

Bill Text

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