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LouisianaSB 5232026 Regular SessionSenate

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: Provides relative to defendants who are victims of domestic abuse, human trafficking, or sexual assault. (8/1/26) (EN SEE FISC NOTE SG EX)

Sponsored By: Beth Mizell (Republican)

Signed by Governor

Administration of Criminal Justice

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

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

Courts must weigh abuse survivors’ experiences

Beginning August 1, 2026, Louisiana courts must give weight to qualifying victimization when considering a suspended sentence or probation. This covers defendants who experienced domestic abuse, human trafficking, child sex trafficking, or sexual assault. The experience must have a reasonable link to the offense, help explain its cause, and be close in time. Courts must also weigh any other relevant circumstance that supports a lighter sentence. Judges keep their discretion, so neither a suspended sentence nor probation is guaranteed.

New clemency access and longer waits

Beginning August 1, 2026, Louisiana provides a new path to request a pardon or reduced sentence for documented abuse survivors. It covers domestic abuse, human trafficking, child sex trafficking, and sexual assault experienced when the offense occurred. Survivors sentenced to life under the general rule or for a violent crime must wait five years after sentencing. This path excludes convictions requiring sex-offender registration, resulting in a death sentence, or violating R.S. 14:128.1 or 128.2. Applying does not guarantee relief. Outside this survivor path, people serving life sentences generally must wait 15 years to apply. The wait is 25 years for life sentences involving violent crimes or sex offenses. Both periods count time spent in actual custody before sentencing. People whose death sentences were reduced to life cannot request another reduction to a fixed number of years. Denied applicants must receive written reasons and wait at least five years after each board decision to apply again. The Board of Pardons must review its procedures and adopt rules needed to carry out the law.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Beth Mizell

    Republican • Senate

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 142 • No: 1

House vote • 5/19/2026

Read third time by title, amended, roll called on final passage, yeas 95, nays 1. Finally passed, ordered to the Senate.

Yes: 95 • No: 1

House vote • 5/12/2026

Reported with amendments

Yes: 11 • No: 0

Senate vote • 4/21/2026

Senate floor amendments read and adopted. Read by title and passed by a vote of 36 yeas and 0 nays; ordered reengrossed and sent to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

Yes: 36 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Signed by the Governor. Becomes Act No. 526.

    5/29/2026Senate

  2. Effective date 8/1/2026.

    5/29/2026Senate

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

    5/26/2026Senate

  4. Signed by the Speaker of the House.

    5/26/2026House

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

    5/26/2026Senate

  6. Read by title, returned to the calendar.

    5/19/2026House

  7. Called from the calendar.

    5/19/2026House

  8. Read third time by title, amended, roll called on final passage, yeas 95, nays 1. Finally passed, ordered to the Senate.

    5/19/2026House

  9. Received from the House with amendments.

    5/19/2026Senate

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

    5/18/2026House

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

    5/18/2026House

  12. Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments.

    5/13/2026House

  13. Reported with amendments (11-0). Referred to the Legislative Bureau.

    5/12/2026House

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

    4/23/2026House

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

    4/22/2026House

  16. Senate floor amendments read and adopted. Read by title and passed by a vote of 36 yeas and 0 nays; ordered reengrossed and sent to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

    4/21/2026Senate

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

    4/20/2026Senate

  18. Substitute for Senate Bill No. 91. Read by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.

    4/15/2026Senate

Bill Text

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