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Louisiana2026Enacted

HB399

Temporary Release for Inmates with Serious Health Issues

Last scannedAug 25, 2026, 3:26 AM

In one sentence

This law allows the secretary of corrections to temporarily release inmates who have a terminal illness or cannot move due to severe medical conditions.

What it does

  • Allows the secretary of corrections to authorize temporary releases for palliative or medical care.
  • Permits release when an inmate has a terminal illness and death is expected within sixty days.

Who it affects

  • Inmates diagnosed with terminal illnesses who are not sentenced to death.
  • The secretary of corrections, who has the power to approve these releases.

Limits and unknowns

  • This law does not apply to inmates sentenced to death.
  • The official text contains conflicting numbers for when death is expected (sixty days versus one hundred twenty days).

Official record

Sources

Validated
Official bill pageIntroduced textOfficial digestCurrent bill textStored full record

Official summary

CRIMINAL/PROCEDURE: Provides relative to temporary release of inmates for limited purposes (EN SEE FISC NOTE GF EX)

Official activity

Bill history

  1. Effective date: 08/01/2026.H
  2. Becomes Act No. 945 without the Governor's signature.H
  3. Sent to the Governor for executive approval.H
  4. Signed by the President of the Senate.S
  5. Enrolled and signed by the Speaker of the House.H
  6. Received from the Senate without amendments.H
  7. Read by title, passed by a vote of 26 yeas and 7 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.S
  8. Called from the Calendar.S
  9. Read by title and returned to the Calendar, subject to call.S
  10. Rules suspended.S
  11. Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments. Read by title and passed to third reading and final passage.S
  12. Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.S
  13. Reported favorably.S
  14. Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Judiciary B.S
  15. Received in the Senate. Rules suspended. Read first time by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.S
  16. Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 83, nays 12. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.H
  17. Called from the calendar.H
  18. Scheduled for floor debate on 04/14/2026.H
  19. Notice given.H
  20. Read by title, returned to the calendar.H