HB 142

ENROLLED
 2026 Regular Session
  ACT No. 127
 HOUSE BILL NO. 142
 BY REPRESENTATIVE MUSCARELLO
  (On Recommendation of the Louisiana State Law Institute)
1AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact Code of Civil Procedure Articles 561, 1426(A)(introductory
3paragraph), (B), and (C), 1572, 1702(C), 1841, 1914(E), 2083(B), 2126, 2128,
42166(F), 2167(D), and 4922 and R.S. 13:319 and 5206, to enact Code of Civil
5Procedure Article 2083(D), and to repeal Code of Civil Procedure Article
61425(F)(5), relative to civil procedure; to provide for continuous revisions to the
7Code of Civil Procedure and related provisions of the Revised Statutes; to provide
8with respect to abandonment; to provide for motions to quash; to provide for notice
9of trial; to provide with respect to default judgments; to provide with respect to
10interlocutory, final, and partial final judgments; to provide with respect to payment
11of costs and designation of the record on appeal; to provide with respect to
12transmission of notice; to provide for the assignment and allotment of writs and
13appeals; to provide with respect to the jurisdiction of small claims; to provide for
14Comments; and to provide for related matters.
15 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
16Section 1. Code of Civil Procedure Articles 561, 1426(A)(introductory paragraph),
17 (B), and (C), 1572, 1702(C), 1841, 1914(E), 2083(B), 2126, 2128, 2166(F), 2167(D), and
18 4922 are hereby amended and reenacted and Code of Civil Procedure Article 2083(D) is
19 hereby enacted to read as follows:
20Art. 561. Abandonment in trial and appellate court
21A.(1) An action is abandoned when the parties fail to take any step in its
22prosecution or defense in the trial court for a period of three years, unless it is a
23succession proceeding:
  Page 1 of 14
 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
 are additions.
 HB NO. 142  ENROLLED
1(a) Which has been opened;
2(b) In which an administrator or executor has been appointed; or
3(c) In which a testament has been probated.
4(2) This provision Article shall be operative without formal order, but, on ex
5parte motion of any party or other interested person by affidavit that states that no
6step has been timely taken in the prosecution or defense of the action, the trial court
7shall enter a formal order of dismissal as of the date of its abandonment. The sheriff
8shall serve the order in the manner provided in Article 1314 and shall execute a
9return pursuant to Article 1292. A step in the prosecution or defense in the trial court
10shall interrupt the abandonment period. After the three-year abandonment period has
11expired, the defendant may renounce the defense of abandonment.
12(3) A motion to set aside a dismissal may be made only within thirty days
13of the date of the sheriff's service of the order of dismissal. If the trial court denies
14a timely motion to set aside the dismissal, the clerk of court shall give notice of the
15order of denial pursuant to Article 1913(A) and shall file a certificate pursuant to
16Article 1913(D). Any formal discovery authorized by this Code, whether or not filed
17of record, including the taking of a deposition with or without formal notice,
18constitutes a step in the prosecution or defense of an action against all parties on
19whom the discovery was served or who were in attendance or represented at the
20deposition.
21(4) An appeal of an order of dismissal may be taken only within sixty days
22of the date of the sheriff's service of the order of dismissal. An appeal of an order of
23denial may be taken only within sixty days of the date of the clerk's mailing of the
24order of denial.
25B.(1) Any formal discovery as authorized by this Code and served on all
26parties whether or not filed of record, including the taking of a deposition with or
27without formal notice, shall be deemed to be a step in the prosecution or defense of
28an action. Any party or other interested person may file an ex parte motion to dismiss
29based on abandonment and shall attach to the motion to dismiss an affidavit of the
30mover or the mover's attorney of record certifying all of the following:
  Page 2 of 14
 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
 are additions.
 HB NO. 142  ENROLLED
1(a) The three-year abandonment period has expired.
2(b) No timely step in the prosecution or defense of the action has been taken
3pursuant to Subparagraph (A)(2) or (3) of this Article.
4(c) No renunciation has occurred pursuant to Subparagraph (A)(2) of this
5Article.
6(2) The affidavit shall also include a list of all pleadings, documents, or
7judgments that have been filed in the record during the three years preceding the date
8on which the mover claims that the abandonment period expired. The mover shall
9also list and attach all written communication pertaining to the action between the
10mover and any adverse party or their attorneys of record in the one year preceding
11the date on which the mover claims that the abandonment period expired.
12C. The court shall enter an ex parte judgment of dismissal without prejudice
13as of the date of the abandonment of the action if the record confirms and the
14mover's accompanying affidavit attests to all of the following:
15(1) The three-year abandonment period has expired.
16(2) No timely step in the prosecution or defense of an action has been taken
17pursuant to Subparagraph (A)(2) or (3) of this Article.
18(3) The defendant has not renounced the defense of abandonment pursuant
19to Subparagraph (A)(2) of this Article.
20(4) No pleadings, documents, or judgments have been filed in the record
21during the three years immediately preceding the expiration of the abandonment
22period.
23(5) There has been no written communication pertaining to the action
24between the mover and any adverse party or their attorneys of record during the last
25year of the abandonment period.
26D. If the mover's affidavit certifies that any pleadings, documents, or
27judgments have been filed in the record during the three years preceding the
28expiration of the abandonment period or that there has been written communication
29pertaining to the action between the mover and any adverse party or their attorneys
30of record during the one year preceding the expiration of the abandonment period,
  Page 3 of 14
 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
 are additions.
 HB NO. 142  ENROLLED
1the court shall either sign the judgment of dismissal ex parte or set the motion to
2dismiss for a contradictory hearing.
3E. The sheriff shall serve the ex parte judgment of dismissal in accordance
4with Article 1314 and shall execute a return pursuant to Article 1292.
5F. If an ex parte judgment of dismissal is granted, a motion to set aside the
6dismissal may be filed within thirty days after the date of the sheriff's service of the
7judgment of dismissal. At the hearing to set aside the dismissal, the burden of proof
8rests with the mover of the original motion to dismiss based on abandonment. If the
9trial court denies a timely motion to set aside the dismissal, the clerk of court shall
10send notice of the order of denial pursuant to Article 1913(A) and shall file a
11certificate pursuant to Article 1913(D).
12G.(1) An appeal of a judgment of dismissal rendered ex parte may be taken
13within sixty days after the date of the sheriff's service of the judgment of dismissal
14pursuant to Paragraph E of this Article.
15(2) An appeal of a judgment of dismissal rendered after a contradictory
16hearing may be taken within sixty days after the clerk's transmission of that
17judgment.
18(3) An appeal of a denial of the motion to set aside a dismissal filed pursuant
19to Paragraph F of this Article may be taken within sixty days after the clerk's
20transmission of the order of denial.
21C. H. An appeal is abandoned when the parties fail to take any step in its
22prosecution or disposition for the period provided in the rules of the appellate court.
23I. The granting of a motion to set aside a judgment of dismissal based on
24abandonment and the reversal of a judgment of dismissal on appeal shall each
25constitute a step in the prosecution or defense of an action.
26J. For the purposes of this Article, "transmission" means the sending of
27notice via the United States Postal Service, a commercial courier, or electronic mail.
28K. This Article does not apply to succession proceedings.
29L. If an action brought under this Section to enforce a conventional
30obligation is dismissed pursuant to this Section, such dismissal, notwithstanding any
  Page 4 of 14
 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
 are additions.
 HB NO. 142  ENROLLED
1other law to the contrary, shall operate to interrupt any applicable liberative
2prescriptive period as though the dismissal of the action had not occurred.
3Comments – 2026
4(a) The amendments to Subparagraph (A)(2) of this Article retain the rule
5that abandonment is operative without formal order. The amendments also adopt
6current jurisprudential rules providing that a step in the prosecution or defense of an
7action interrupts the three-year abandonment period and that, after the three-year
8abandonment period has expired, the defendant may renounce the defense of
9abandonment. See Foundation Elevation & Repair, LLC v. Miller, 408 So. 3d 893
10(La. 2025).
11(b) Subparagraph (B)(1) of this Article is new and requires that a more
12detailed affidavit be included with the ex parte motion to dismiss based on
13abandonment.
14(c) Paragraph C of this Article now requires the court to sign an ex parte
15judgment of dismissal without prejudice if the mover's affidavit attests to all of the
16following: the abandonment period has expired; no timely step in the prosecution or
17defense of the action has occurred; the defendant has not renounced the defense of
18abandonment; no pleadings, documents, or judgments have been filed in the record
19during the three years immediately preceding the expiration of the abandonment
20period; and there has been no written communication pertaining to the action
21between the mover and any adverse party or their attorneys of record during the year
22preceding the expiration of the abandonment period.
23(d) Paragraph D of this Article is new and requires the court to either sign
24a judgment of dismissal ex parte or set the motion to dismiss for a contradictory
25hearing if the mover's affidavit indicates that pleadings, documents, or judgments
26have been filed in the record during the three-year abandonment period or that there
27has been written communication pertaining to the action between the mover and any
28adverse party or their attorneys of record during the year immediately preceding the
29expiration of the abandonment period.
30(e) Paragraph F of this Article establishes a new rule that the burden of proof
31at a hearing on a motion to set aside a dismissal rests upon the mover of the initial
32motion to dismiss based on abandonment.
33*        *  *
34Art. 1426. Protective orders; motions to quash
35A. Upon motion by a party or by the person from whom discovery is sought
36or to whom a subpoena is issued, and for good cause shown, the court in which the
37action is pending or alternatively, on matters relating to a deposition or subpoena, the
38court in the district where the deposition is to be taken or by which the subpoena is
39issued may make any order which that justice requires to protect a party or person
40from annoyance, embarrassment, oppression, or undue burden or expense, including
41one or more of the following:
42*  *  *
43B. If the motion for a protective order or a motion to quash is denied in
44whole or in part, the court may, on such terms and conditions as are just, order that
  Page 5 of 14
 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
 are additions.
 HB NO. 142  ENROLLED
1any party or person provide or permit discovery. The provisions of Article 1469
2apply to the award of expenses incurred in relation to the motion.
3C. No provision of this Article authorizes a court to issue a protective order
4or grant a motion to quash preventing or limiting discovery or ordering records
5sealed if the information or material sought to be protected relates to a public hazard
6or relates to information which that may be useful to members of the public in
7protecting themselves from injury that might result from such the public hazard,
8unless such the information or material sought to be protected is a trade secret or
9other confidential research, development, or commercial information.
10*        *  *
11Art. 1572. Written request for notice Notice of trial
12The clerk shall give written notice of the date of the trial whenever a written
13request therefor is filed in the record or is made by registered mail by a party or to
14all counsel of record, or if there is no counsel of record, to a self-represented party.
15This notice shall be sent in accordance with Article 1313(A)(4) or mailed by the
16clerk, by certified mail, properly stamped and addressed, at least ten days before the
17date fixed for the trial. The provisions of this article Article may be waived in
18writing or on the record by all counsel of record at a pre-trial conference a party or
19the party's attorney.
20Comments - 2026
21The amendment to this Article removes the requirement that a party must
22submit a written request to receive notice of trial. The clerk of court must now
23provide notice of trial to all counsel of record, or if there is no counsel of record, to
24a self-represented party. The notice must be sent either by electronic means in
25accordance with the requirements of Article 1313(A)(4) or by certified mail. The
26amendment also provides that any waiver of notice of trial must be in writing or on
27the record.
28*        *  *
29Art. 1702. Default judgment
30*        *  *
31C. In those proceedings in which the sum due is on an open account or a
32promissory note, other negotiable instrument, or other conventional obligation, or a
33deficiency judgment derived therefrom, including those proceedings in which one
  Page 6 of 14
 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
 are additions.
 HB NO. 142  ENROLLED
1or more mortgages, pledges, or other security for the open account, promissory note,
2negotiable instrument, conventional obligation, or deficiency judgment derived
3therefrom is sought to be enforced, maintained, or recognized, or in which the
4amount sought is that authorized by R.S. 9:2782 for a check dishonored for
5nonsufficient funds, a hearing in open court shall not be required unless the judge
6court, in his its discretion, directs that such a the hearing be held. The plaintiff shall
7submit to the clerk of court the proof required by law and the original and not less
8than one copy of the proposed default judgment. The judge court shall, within
9seventy-two hours of after receipt of such the submission from the clerk of court,
10sign the proposed default judgment or direct that a hearing be held. The Before the
11default judgment is signed, the clerk of court shall certify that no answer or other
12pleading has been filed by the defendant. The minute clerk shall make an entry
13showing the dates of receipt of proof, review of the record, and rendition of the
14default judgment. A certified copy of the signed default judgment shall be sent to the
15plaintiff by the clerk of court, and notice of the signing of the default judgment shall
16be given as provided in accordance with Article 1913.
17*        *  *
18Art. 1841. Judgments,; interlocutory and final
19A. A judgment is the determination of the rights of the parties in an action
20and may award any relief to which the parties are entitled. It may be interlocutory
21or final.
22B.(1) A judgment that does not determine the merits but only preliminary
23matters in the course of the action is an interlocutory judgment determines the merits
24in whole is a final judgment.
25(2) A judgment that determines the merits in whole or in part is may be a
26partial final judgment in accordance with Article 1915(A) or an interlocutory
27judgment in accordance with Article 1915(C).
28C. A judgment that does not determine the merits but determines only
29preliminary matters in the course of the action is an interlocutory judgment.
  Page 7 of 14
 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
 are additions.
 HB NO. 142  ENROLLED
1Comments - 2026
2This amendment seeks to clarify the law. Article 1915(A) provides for
3partial final judgments that are appealable. Article 1915(C) provides for partial
4judgments that are interlocutory judgments. Article 2083 provides that a partial final
5judgment and an interlocutory judgment are appealable only when expressly
6provided by law.
7*        *  *
8Art. 1914. Interlocutory judgments; notice; delay for further action
9*        *  *
10E. The provisions of this Article do not apply to an interlocutory injunctive
11order or judgment the certification or denial of a certification of a class action in
12accordance with Article 592(A)(3)(c) or appealable orders or judgments granting or
13denying a preliminary injunction in accordance with Article 3612.
14Comments - 2026
15This amendment clarifies the law. Articles 592(A)(3)(c) and 3612 provide
16for interlocutory orders and judgments from which an appeal may be taken as a
17matter of right. Thus, the notice requirements set forth in this Article are not
18applicable. Rather, the required notice should satisfy the provisions of Article 1913.
19This is consistent with Article 2083 providing that an interlocutory judgment is
20appealable only when expressly provided by law.
21*        *  *
22Art. 2083. Judgments appealable
23*        *  *
24B. In reviewing a judgment reformed in accordance with a remittitur or
25additur, the court shall consider the reasonableness of the underlying jury verdict.
26A partial final judgment rendered in accordance with Article 1915(A) is appealable
27in all causes in which appeals are given by law. Other partial final judgments are
28appealable only when expressly provided by law.
29*        *  *
30D. In reviewing a judgment reformed in accordance with a remittitur or
31additur, the court shall consider the reasonableness of the underlying jury verdict.
32Comments - 2026
33The amendment to Paragraph B of this Article clarifies the law and is
34consistent with the amendments to Article 1841. See also Articles 592(A)(3)(c) and
  Page 8 of 14
 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
 are additions.
 HB NO. 142  ENROLLED
13612 for examples of instances in which an appeal may be taken as a matter of right
2from an interlocutory order or judgment.
3*        *  *
4Art. 2126. Payment of costs
5A. The clerk of the trial court, immediately after After the order of appeal
6has been granted, the clerk of the trial court shall estimate the cost of the preparation
7of the record on appeal, including the fee of the court reporter for preparing the
8transcript and the filing fee required by the appellate court. The clerk shall send
9transmit notices of the estimated costs by certified mail to the appellant and by first
10class mail to the appellee.
11B. Within twenty days of the mailing of notice If the parties have not
12designated the record on appeal pursuant to Article 2128, the appellant shall, within
13twenty days after transmission of the notice of the estimated costs, pay the amount
14of the estimated costs to the clerk. The trial court may grant one extension of the
15period for paying the amount of the estimated costs for not more than an additional
16twenty days upon written motion showing good cause for the extension.
17C. If the parties have designated the record on appeal pursuant to Article
182128, the clerk shall transmit a revised notice of the estimated costs to the appellant
19and appellee. The appellant shall, within twenty days after transmission of the
20revised notice of estimated costs, pay the amount of the estimated costs to the clerk.
21The trial court may grant one extension of the period for paying the amount of the
22revised estimated costs for not more than an additional twenty days upon written
23motion showing good cause for the extension.
24D. The appellant may question the excessiveness of the estimated costs by
25filing a written application motion for reduction in the trial court within the first
26twenty-day time limit, and the if the record has not been designated pursuant to
27Article 2128, or within twenty days after transmission of the revised notice of
28estimated costs if the record has been designated pursuant to Article 2128. The trial
29court may order reduction of the estimate upon proper showing. If an application the
30motion for reduction has been timely filed, the appellant shall have twenty days to
  Page 9 of 14
 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
 are additions.
 HB NO. 142  ENROLLED
1pay the costs beginning from the date of the action by the trial court on application
2the motion for reduction.
3D. E. After the preparation of the record on appeal has been completed, the
4clerk of the trial court shall, as the situation may require, either refund to the
5appellant the difference between the estimated costs and the actual costs, if the
6estimated costs exceed the actual costs, or send a transmit notice by certified mail to
7the appellant of the amount of additional costs due, if the actual costs exceed the
8estimated costs. If the payment of additional costs is required, the appellant shall pay
9the amount of additional costs within twenty days of the mailing after transmission
10of the notice.
11E. F. If the appellant fails to pay the estimated costs, or the difference
12between the estimated costs and the actual costs, within the time specified, the trial
13judge, on his own motion or upon motion by the clerk or by any party, and after a
14hearing, shall do one of the following:
15(1) Enter a formal order of dismissal of the appeal on the grounds of
16abandonment; or.
17(2) Grant a ten day ten-day period within which costs must shall be paid in
18full, in default of which the appeal is dismissed as abandoned.
19F. G. If the appellant pays the costs required by this Article, the appeal may
20shall not be dismissed because of the passage of the return day without an extension
21being obtained or because of an untimely lodging of the record on appeal.
22H. For the purposes of this Article, "transmit" means the sending of notice
23via certified mail, electronic mail to the email address designated by counsel or the
24party, or commercial courier. The sending of notice by electronic means is complete
25upon transmission, provided that the sender receives an electronic confirmation of
26delivery.
27Comments – 2026
28Requirements relative to the transmission of the notice for the payment of
29estimated costs are adapted from the service requirements set forth in Article
301313(C) applicable to pleadings and orders that set a court date and from Article
312166(F) defining "transmission of notice" with respect to the appellate court.
32*       *       *
  Page 10 of 14
 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
 are additions.
 HB NO. 142  ENROLLED
1Art. 2128. Same; determination of content
2The form and content of the record on appeal shall be in accordance with the
3rules of the appellate court, except as provided in the constitution Constitution of
4Louisiana and as provided in Article 2128.1. However, within three days, exclusive
5of holidays, after taking the appeal Within ten days after transmission of the notices
6of estimated costs by the clerk of court as provided in Article 2126, however, the
7appellant may designate in a writing by written notice filed with the trial court such
8the portions of the record which he that the appellant desires to constitute the record
9on appeal. Within five fourteen days, exclusive of holidays, after service of a copy
10of this designation on the other party, that party may also designate in a writing by
11written notice filed with the trial court such other portions of the record as he the
12party considers necessary. In such those cases, the clerk shall prepare the record on
13appeal as so directed, but a party or the trial court may cause to be filed thereafter
14any omitted portion of the record as a supplemental record. When no designation is
15made, the record shall be a transcript of all of the proceedings as well as all
16documents filed in the trial court.
17*        *      *
18Art. 2166. Court of appeal judgment rehearing; finality; stay
19*        *      *
20F. For the purposes of this Article, "transmission of the notice" means the
21sending of the notice via the United States Postal Service, or electronic mail, or
22facsimile.
23Art. 2167. Supreme court judgment rehearing; finality; stay
24*  *  *
25D. For the purposes of this Article, "transmission of the notice" means the
26sending of the notice via the United States Postal Service, or electronic mail, or
27facsimile.
28*        *      *
  Page 11 of 14
 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
 are additions.
 HB NO. 142  ENROLLED
1Art. 4922. Notice of judgment; justice of the peace courts; district courts with
2concurrent jurisdiction
3Notice of the signing of any final judgment shall be given as required by in
4accordance with Article 1913, except that if the party is personally served with the
5judgment in open court, no further notice shall be required.
6Comments - 2026
7This amendment does not change the law. Article 1913 was previously
8amended to provide that delivery of the signed judgment in open court shall
9constitute notice of judgment and shall be documented in the record of the
10proceeding.
11Section 2. R.S. 13:319 and 5206 are hereby amended and reenacted to read as
12 follows:
13§319. Assignment and allotment of cases
14Each civil and criminal appeal and each application for writs shall be
15randomly assigned by the clerk, subject to the direct supervision of the court. Except
16for good cause shown, all writs and appeals from contemporaneously rendered orders
17or judgments from a lower court in the same action or consolidated cases shall be
18assigned to the same randomly selected panel.
19Comments - 2026
20This amendment permits the clerk of the court of appeal to assign writs and
21appeals in accordance with procedures that were commonly used prior to the 2018
22amendment of this Section, thus preventing duplicative adjudication of identical
23issues derived from the same action. See also Code of Civil Procedure Article
242164.1.
25*       *       *
26§5206. Reconventional demand beyond jurisdiction; filing in court of competent
27jurisdiction; transfer of proceedings from small claims division
28A. If a defendant in a small claims action shall have has a claim against the
29plaintiff in such the action for an amount over the jurisdiction of the small claims
30division as set forth in R.S. 13:5202(A), but of a nature which that may be asserted
31by a reconventional demand as authorized by Code of Civil Procedure Article 1061
32of the Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure, the defendant may assert his the claim in
33the manner provided by this Section, in order to secure consolidation for trial of the
34small claims action with his the defendant's own claim.
  Page 12 of 14
 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
 are additions.
 HB NO. 142  ENROLLED
1B. At any time prior to trial in the small claims action, the defendant therein
2may commence an action against the plaintiff in a court of competent jurisdiction to
3assert a claim of the nature set forth by R.S. 13:5206(A), Subsection A of this
4Section and file an affidavit that the reconventional demand is in excess of three five
5thousand dollars with the judge of the small claims division in which the plaintiff has
6commenced the small claims action.
7C. The defendant shall attach to the affidavit a true copy of his petition or the
8defendant's reconventional demand so filed and shall pay the clerk of the small
9claims division a transmittal fee of ten dollars, in addition to the prescribed court
10costs for filing the reconventional demand, furnishing a copy of the affidavit and
11pleading to the plaintiff.
12D. The judge of the small claims division shall order that the small claims
13division action be transferred to the ordinary docket of the court set forth in said the
14affidavit, and he shall transmit to such that court, (if it is other than the court of the
15small claims division), copies of the citation and any pleadings in the small claims
16action, and the. The actions shall then be consolidated for trial in such the other
17docket or court.
18E. The plaintiff in the small claims action shall not be required to pay to the
19clerk of the court to which the action is so transferred any transmittal, appearance,
20or filing fee; although, but upon adverse judgment, he the plaintiff may be taxed with
21costs as in the case of any other defendant.
22Section 3. Code of Civil Procedure Article 1425(F)(5) is hereby repealed in its
23 entirety.
24Section 4. The Louisiana State Law Institute is hereby directed to print the following
25 Comment to Code of Civil Procedure Article 1425:
26Art. 1425. Experts; pretrial disclosures; scope of discovery
27*       *       *
28Comments - 2026
29A ruling allowing or excluding an expert or an expert's report due to the
30expert's lack of qualifications or use of unreliable methodologies is an interlocutory
31order that is not appealable in accordance with Article 2083.
  Page 13 of 14
 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
 are additions.
HB NO. 142  ENROLLED
1Section 5. The provisions of Code of Civil Procedure Article 561 as amended by
2 Section 1 of this Act shall have prospective application only and shall apply to motions to
3 dismiss based on abandonment filed on or after the effective date of this Act.
  SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
  PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
  GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED:
  Page 14 of 14
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.