HB 263

ENROLLED
 2026 Regular Session
  ACT No. 295
 HOUSE BILL NO. 263
 BY REPRESENTATIVE FARNUM
1AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 13:589(E), relative to the magistrate judge of the Fourteenth Judicial District
3Court; to authorize the magistrate judge to preside over specialty court programs; to
4define relative to specialty court; and to provide for related matters.
5 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
6Section 1. R.S. 13:589(E) is hereby enacted to read as follows:
7§589. Fourteenth Judicial District Court; magistrate judge
8*       *  *
9E.(1) Notwithstanding this Section or any other provision of law to the
10contrary, subject to the approval of the en banc judges of the Fourteenth Judicial
11District Court, the magistrate judge may preside over a specialty court program and
12fully adjudicate the related felony charges for those who have pled into or otherwise
13agreed to participate in a specialty court program.
14(2) For purposes of this Subsection, "specialty court" means any program
15designated as a specialty court by the Louisiana Supreme Court including drug court
16programs, Veterans Court programs, driving while intoxicated court, mental health
17court, reentry court, domestic abuse court, behavioral health court, or any juvenile
18specialty court handling matters related to allegations of domestic abuse.
  SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
  PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
  GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
 APPROVED:
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 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
 are additions.