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LouisianaSB 2012026 Regular SessionSenate

JUVENILE JUSTICE: Limits juvenile offender parole eligibility in resentencing court. (8/1/26)

Sponsored By: John C. "Jay" Morris (Republican)

Signed by Governor

Administration of Criminal JusticeJudiciary C

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

2 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 1 costs, 1 mixed.

Tighter sentence review rules for juvenile offenders

Beginning August 1, 2026, reviewing courts must give greatest weight to information used by the original sentencing factfinder. A stricter limit applies when a juvenile offender originally received a death sentence after youth was rejected as a mitigating factor. The reviewing court cannot replace that judgment unless the factfinder clearly abused its discretion and could not reasonably reach that result. This narrows the grounds for changing those sentencing decisions.

Parole hearings and limits for juvenile offenders

Louisiana’s law covers people who were under 18 when they committed first- or second-degree murder. Prosecutors have 180 days after indictment to file notice seeking life without parole. Timely notice requires a hearing after conviction and before sentencing to decide whether parole is allowed. Without timely notice, the sentence includes parole eligibility without that hearing. For second-degree murder, this framework applies to indictments on or after August 1, 2026. First-degree cases use the parole pathway in R.S. 15:574.4(E); second-degree cases use R.S. 15:574.4(G). The G pathway also covers first-degree indictments before August 1, 2017, after a court finding allowing parole. Parole consideration remains subject to the separate requirements of the applicable pathway; eligibility does not guarantee release. The hearing only decides parole eligibility, and the court must explain its reasons and facts on the record. The law removes language reserving life without parole for the “worst offenders.”

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • John C. "Jay" Morris

    Republican • Senate

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 94 • No: 41

House vote • 5/19/2026

Read third time by title, amended, roll called on final passage, yeas 61, nays 27. Finally passed, ordered to the Senate.

Yes: 61 • No: 27

House vote • 5/12/2026

Reported with amendments

Yes: 7 • No: 3

Senate vote • 4/13/2026

Read by title, passed by a vote of 26 yeas and 11 nays, and sent to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

Yes: 26 • No: 11

Actions Timeline

  1. Signed by the Governor. Becomes Act No. 585.

    5/29/2026Senate

  2. Effective date 8/1/2026.

    5/29/2026Senate

  3. Signed by the Speaker of the House.

    5/25/2026House

  4. Enrolled. Signed by the President of the Senate.

    5/21/2026Senate

  5. Sent to the Governor by the Secretary of the Senate.

    5/21/2026Senate

  6. Read third time by title, amended, roll called on final passage, yeas 61, nays 27. Finally passed, ordered to the Senate.

    5/19/2026House

  7. Received from the House with amendments.

    5/19/2026Senate

  8. Read by title, amended, passed to 3rd reading.

    5/18/2026House

  9. Scheduled for floor debate on 05/19/2026.

    5/18/2026House

  10. Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments.

    5/13/2026House

  11. Reported with amendments (7-3). Referred to the Legislative Bureau.

    5/12/2026House

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

    4/14/2026House

  13. Read by title, passed by a vote of 26 yeas and 11 nays, and sent to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

    4/13/2026Senate

  14. Received in the House from the Senate, read by title, lies over under the rules.

    4/13/2026House

  15. Read by title. Ordered engrossed and passed to third reading and final passage.

    4/8/2026Senate

  16. Reported favorably.

    4/7/2026Senate

  17. Introduced in the Senate; read by title. Rules suspended. Read second time and referred to the Committee on Judiciary C.

    3/9/2026Senate

  18. Prefiled and under the rules provisionally referred to the Committee on Judiciary C.

    2/26/2026Senate

Bill Text

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