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LouisianaHB 3302026 Regular SessionHouse

CRIMINAL/PENALTIES: Provides relative to the desecration of graves and religious institutions (EN SEE FISC NOTE LF RV)

Sponsored By: Michael Robert Bayham Jr. (Republican)

Signed by Governor

Judiciary CAdministration of Criminal Justice

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

2 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.

Higher fines and repayment for grave desecration

Louisiana raises the maximum fine for desecrating a grave from $500 to $1,000. A convicted person faces a fine, up to six months in jail, or both. The court must also order payment for damages to those harmed, using the state's criminal restitution rules. The payment amount depends on the damage.

Higher fines and repayment for institutional vandalism

Louisiana raises fines for institutional vandalism. For damage under $500, penalties are a fine up to $1,000, up to six months in jail, or both. For damage of at least $500 but under $50,000, penalties include a $1,000–$5,000 fine, up to two years in prison, or both. When vandalism damages a religious building or structure covered by the law, the court must also order repayment for damages. That payment follows the state's criminal restitution rules, and its amount depends on the damage.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Michael Robert Bayham Jr.

    Republican • House

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 145 • No: 0

Senate vote • 5/26/2026

Rules suspended. Read by title, passed by a vote of 36 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

Yes: 36 • No: 0

House vote • 4/22/2026

Read third time by title, amended, roll called on final passage, yeas 98, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.

Yes: 98 • No: 0

House vote • 4/15/2026

Reported favorably

Yes: 11 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Signed by the Governor. Becomes Act No. 542.

    5/29/2026House

  2. Effective date: 08/01/2026.

    5/29/2026House

  3. Sent to the Governor for executive approval.

    5/28/2026House

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

    5/27/2026House

  5. Signed by the President of the Senate.

    5/27/2026Senate

  6. Rules suspended. Read by title, passed by a vote of 36 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

    5/26/2026Senate

  7. Received from the Senate without amendments.

    5/26/2026House

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

    5/21/2026Senate

  9. Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.

    5/20/2026Senate

  10. Reported favorably.

    5/19/2026Senate

  11. Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Judiciary C.

    4/28/2026Senate

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

    4/27/2026Senate

  13. Read by title, returned to the calendar.

    4/22/2026House

  14. Called from the calendar.

    4/22/2026House

  15. Read third time by title, amended, roll called on final passage, yeas 98, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.

    4/22/2026House

  16. Scheduled for floor debate on 04/22/2026.

    4/21/2026House

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

    4/16/2026House

  18. Reported favorably (11-0).

    4/15/2026House

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

    3/9/2026House

  20. First appeared in the Interim Calendar on 2/27/2026.

    2/27/2026House

  21. Prefiled.

    2/24/2026House

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

    2/24/2026House

Bill Text

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