HB 343

HLS 26RS-1107  ORIGINAL
 2026 Regular Session
 HOUSE BILL NO. 343
 BY REPRESENTATIVE BRYANT
 PARDON/PAROLE: Provides relative to parole eligibility
1AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 15:574.4(L), relative to parole; to provide for parole eligibility; to provide for
3conditions; to provide for exceptions; and to provide for related matters.
4 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
5Section 1. R.S. 15:574.4(L) is hereby enacted to read as follows:
6§574.4. Parole; eligibility; juvenile offenders
7*       *  *
8L. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, any person serving
9a fixed term or terms of imprisonment that result in a period of incarceration of thirty
10years or more and who was at least eighteen years of age but not more than twenty
11years of age at the time of the commission of the offense shall be eligible for parole
12consideration pursuant to the provisions of this Subsection if all of the following
13conditions have been met:
14(1) The person is a first-time offender who has not been convicted of any of
15the following:
16(a) A sex offense as defined in R.S. 15:541.
17(b) An offense punishable by life imprisonment.
18(2) The offender has served at least twenty-five years of the sentence
19imposed.
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 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
 are additions.
 HLS 26RS-1107  ORIGINAL
  HB NO. 343
1(3) The offender has not committed any major disciplinary offenses in the
2thirty-six consecutive months prior to the parole hearing date. A major disciplinary
3offense is an offense identified as a Schedule B offense by the Department of Public
4Safety and Corrections in the Disciplinary Rules and Procedures for Adult Offenders.
5(4) The offender has completed the mandatory minimum of one hundred
6hours of prerelease programming in accordance with R.S. 15:827.1.
7(5) The offender has completed substance abuse treatment as applicable.
8(6) The offender has obtained or completed at least one of the following:
9(a) A literacy program.
10(b) An adult basic education program.
11(c) A job skills training program.
12(d) A high school equivalency certificate.
13(7) The offender has obtained a low-risk level designation determined by a
14validated risk assessment instrument approved by the secretary of the Department
15of Public Safety and Corrections.
16(8) The offender has completed a reentry program to be determined by the
17Department of Public Safety and Corrections.
  DIGEST
 The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
 of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
 part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
 HB 343 Original  2026 Regular Session  Bryant
 Abstract: Provides parole eligibility for individuals who meet certain conditions.
 Present law provides for parole eligibility.
 Proposed law retains present law.
 Proposed law provides that any person serving a fixed term or terms of imprisonment that
 result in a period of incarceration of 30 years or more and who was at least 18 years of age
 but not more than 20 years of age at the time of the commission of the offense shall be
 eligible for parole consideration pursuant to proposed law if all of the following conditions
 have been met:
 (1)    The person is a first-time offender who has not been convicted a sex offense or an
  offense punishable by life imprisonment.
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 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
 are additions.
HLS 26RS-1107  ORIGINAL
  HB NO. 343
(2)    The offender has served at least 25 years of the sentence imposed.
(3)    The offender has not committed any major disciplinary offenses in the 36
   consecutive months prior to the parole hearing date.
(4)    The offender has completed the mandatory minimum of 100 hours of prerelease
   programming in accordance with present law (R.S. 15:827.1).
(5)    The offender has completed substance abuse treatment as applicable.
(6)    The offender has obtained or completed at least one educational or job skills training
   program.
(7)    The offender has obtained a low-risk level designation determined by a validated risk
   assessment instrument approved by the secretary of the Dept. of Public Safety and
   Corrections (DPS&C).
(8)    The offender has completed a reentry program to be determined by the DPS&C.
(Adds R.S. 15:574.4(L))
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.