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HLS 26RS-2612 ORIGINAL
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 1073
BY REPRESENTATIVE TERRY LANDRY
PUBLIC SFTY/CORRECTIONS: Provides for the issuance of certain documentation to
inmates before their release from incarceration
1 AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 15:828.5 and 828.6 and Code of Evidence Article 416, relative to inmates; to
3 provide for issuance of certain documentation and certification to inmates; to provide
4 for criteria; to provide for restrictions; to provide for a definition; to provide for
5 duties of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections; to provide for duties of
6 the office of motor vehicles; to provide for revocation proceedings; to provide for a
7 limitation of liability; to provide for the submission of an annual report to certain
8 legislative committees; to provide for rulemaking; to provide for a defense in certain
9 proceedings; to provide relative to the admissibility of evidence; to provide for an
10 effective date; and to provide for related matters.
11 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
12 Section 1. R.S. 15:828.5 and 828.6 are hereby enacted to read as follows:
13 §828.5. Post-release employment; relevant documentation
14 A. The Department of Public Safety and Corrections, referred to in this
15 Section as the "department", shall provide an inmate who has been released from a
16 term of imprisonment that resulted from the commission of a felony offense and who
17 has designated his intended residence within this state, with the relevant
18 documentation to assist with obtaining post-release employment.
19 B.(1) The department shall coordinate with the office of motor vehicles to
20 do both of the following:
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1 (a) Identify whether an inmate has a state identification card or driver's
2 license and begin the process of gathering the documentation required for the
3 issuance of a special identification card pursuant to R.S. 40:1321 within nine months
4 prior to the release of the inmate.
5 (b) Provide a special identification card to any eligible inmate who does not
6 have a current state identification card or driver's license upon his release from
7 custody. The special identification card shall be issued, replaced, canceled, and
8 denied in the same manner as a driver's license pursuant to Chapter 2 of Title 32 of
9 the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950.
10 (2) The office of motor vehicles shall do both of the following:
11 (a)(i) Authorize an inmate to use a certified copy of his birth certificate along
12 with his time computation record issued by the department as a valid form of photo
13 identification to obtain a special identification card.
14 (ii) For the purposes of this Subsection, "time computation record" means
15 a detailed calculation, maintained by the department, of the prison sentence of an
16 inmate that determines his release date and includes credit for time served, good
17 behavior, and program participation.
18 (b) Determine and assess a reasonable fee for the issuance of a special
19 identification card.
20 (3) A special identification card issued with a time computation record to an
21 inmate is nonrenewable, nontransferable, and is valid for a period of four years from
22 the month of issuance.
23 (4) The department may utilize any available funds, including but not limited
24 to inmate trust funds, existing department funds, and donations to cover the costs
25 associated with the implementation and administration of this Section and the
26 purchase of special identification cards.
27 C. The provisions of this Section apply only to inmates who receive a special
28 identification card pursuant to R.S. 40:1321.
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1 D. For the purposes of assisting an inmate with obtaining post-release
2 employment, the department shall provide an inmate with all of the following:
3 (1) A copy of the vocational training record of the inmate, if applicable.
4 (2) A copy of the work record of the inmate, if applicable.
5 (3) A certified copy of the birth certificate of the inmate, if obtainable.
6 (4) A social security card or a replacement social security card of the inmate,
7 if obtainable.
8 (5) A resume that includes any trade or vocational skill learned by the inmate
9 and the proficiency of the inmate at that trade or vocation.
10 (6) Documentation that the inmate has completed a simulated job interview.
11 (7) Notification that the inmate is eligible to apply for a license through a
12 state entity that is responsible for an occupational license or certification.
13 E. An inmate shall not be subject to the provisions of Paragraphs (D)(5) and
14 (6) of this Section prior to his release from imprisonment if he meets any of the
15 following criteria:
16 (1) He is sixty-five years of age or older.
17 (2) He is released on medical parole pursuant to R.S. 15:574.20 or is
18 discharged from a prison infirmary.
19 (3) He is released to the custody of another jurisdiction on a warrant or
20 detainer.
21 (4) He is determined by the department to be physically or mentally unable
22 to return to the workforce upon his release from incarceration.
23 F. The Department of Public Safety and Corrections, office of adult services,
24 and office of motor vehicles may promulgate rules and procedures in accordance
25 with the Administrative Procedure Act to implement the provisions of this Section.
26 §828.6. Certificates of employability
27 A. The legislature hereby finds that many individuals leave custody without
28 standardized documentation of education, training, work history, or readiness for
29 employment. It is the intent of the legislature to ensure successful reentry as a means
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1 to reduce recidivism, strengthen public safety, expand this state's available
2 workforce, and improve reentry outcomes through verification, documentation, and
3 practical job-readiness support.
4 B.(1) The Department of Public Safety and Corrections, referred to in this
5 Section as the "department", in addition to issuing the documentation provided in
6 R.S. 15:828.5, shall issue a certificate of employability to an inmate upon release if
7 all of the following conditions are met:
8 (a) The inmate earned any of the following while imprisoned:
9 (i) Credit for participation in any certified treatment and rehabilitation
10 program pursuant to R.S. 15:828.
11 (ii) Credit for participation in a workforce development work release
12 program pursuant to R.S. 15:828.
13 (iii) A bachelor's degree or master's degree from a regionally accredited and
14 department-approved educational institution pursuant to R.S. 15:828.
15 (iv) Credit for participation in a community resource center pursuant to R.S.
16 15:833.1.
17 (b) The inmate earned a high school equivalency certificate or a high school
18 diploma, a college degree, certification from a vocational or technical education
19 program, or a diploma or degree from a corresponding post-secondary education
20 program prior to imprisonment.
21 (c) The inmate received a score or level of competence as determined by the
22 department on a job skills assessment test administered by the department.
23 (2) The certificate shall be provided to the inmate at no cost, with his written
24 consent, on a form approved by the department. The certificate is valid unless
25 revoked and shall include available criminal history information, institutional
26 conduct records, educational and vocational program completion records, and
27 institutional work history. Each certificate shall be uniform, verifiable, and
28 recognizable by employers throughout the state.
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1 (3) The certificate does not entitle an inmate to relief from any of the
2 following:
3 (a) A requirement to register as a sex offender pursuant to Chapter 3-B of
4 Title 15 of the Louisiana Revised Statues of 1950.
5 (b) The suspension, cancellation, or revocation of a driver's license,
6 commercial driver's license, or restricted or hardship driver's license.
7 (c) A restriction on employment as a prosecutor or law enforcement officer.
8 (d) The denial, ineligibility, or automatic suspension of a license or
9 certification to provide healthcare services due to a substance use disorder.
10 C.(1) The department shall revoke the certificate of any individual who is
11 convicted of a felony after receipt of a certificate. The revocation of a certificate is
12 effective when the individual is notified of the revocation.
13 (2) The department shall provide an individual an opportunity to initiate a
14 cause of action pursuant to R.S. 15:1172 upon revocation of his certificate pursuant
15 to this Subsection.
16 (3) The revocation of a certificate shall not affect the right of an employer
17 who relied on the validity of the certificate unless the employer knew that the
18 certificate was fraudulent prior to employment of the individual.
19 D. The department shall, upon request and with the individual's consent,
20 confirm whether a certificate has been issued to a named individual and whether the
21 certificate is valid at both the time of the inquiry and at the time of response to that
22 inquiry.
23 E. The department shall not be civilly liable for any damages based upon its
24 decision to issue, deny, revoke, or decline to revoke a certificate issued to any
25 inmate.
26 F. It shall be a defense in any proceeding that alleges negligent hiring against
27 an employer, general contractor, premises owner, or other third party that the
28 employer, general contractor, premises owner, or other third party knew of the
29 certificate at the time of the alleged negligence. This Subsection does not apply in
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1 cases when the employer, general contractor, premises owner, or other third party
2 knew or should have known that the employee should not have been hired for the
3 position due to information obtained from a background check, including criminal
4 history.
5 G. The department shall do all of the following:
6 (1) Notify incoming inmates of the eligibility requirements associated with
7 a certificate of employability.
8 (2) Provide or coordinate resume development, interview preparation, and
9 job search assistance as part of reentry programming.
10 (3) Submit an annual report no later than February first of each year to the
11 House Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice and the Senate Committee
12 on Judiciary C. The report shall include all of the following:
13 (a) The number of certificates issued in the preceding twelve months.
14 (b) Participation in job-readiness services.
15 (c) Employment outcomes, where trackable.
16 (d) The rate of recidivism among released inmates who were previously
17 issued certificates.
18 (e) Any other relevant information.
19 H. The Department of Public Safety and Corrections, office of adult services,
20 may promulgate rules and procedures in accordance with the Administrative
21 Procedure Act to implement the provisions of this Section.
22 Section 2. Code of Evidence Article 416 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
23 Art. 416. Certificate of employability
24 A certificate of employability issued from the Department of Public Safety
25 and Corrections pursuant to R.S. 15:828.6 may be introduced in evidence at a
26 judicial or administrative proceeding that alleges the negligence or other fault of an
27 employer, general contractor, premises owner, or other third party for the negligent
28 hiring of or failure to adequately supervise an individual who has been issued a
29 certificate of employability if the employer, general contractor, premises owner, or
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1 other third party knew of the certificate at the time of the alleged negligence or other
2 fault.
3 Section 3. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
4 signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature
5 by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If
6 vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become
7 effective on the day following such approval.
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 1073 Original 2026 Regular Session Terry Landry
Abstract: Provides for the issuance of certain documentation to inmates before their release
from incarceration for purposes of assisting with post-release employment
opportunities.
Proposed law requires the Dept. of Public Safety and Corrections (DPS&C) to provide an
inmate with the relevant documentation to assist with the obtaining of post-release
employment when the inmate has designated his intended residence within the state of La.
and has been released from a term of imprisonment resulting from the commission of a
felony offense.
Proposed law requires the DPS&C to coordinate with the office of motor vehicles (OMV)
to do the following:
(1) Determine whether an inmate has any form of a state ID card or a driver's license and
begin the process of gathering the documentation required for the issuance of a
special ID card pursuant to present law (R.S. 40:1321) within nine months prior to
the release of an inmate.
(2) Provide a special ID card to any eligible inmate who does not have a current state ID
card or driver's license upon his release from custody. Further provides for the
manner of issuing, replacing, cancelling, and denying the special ID card.
Proposed law requires the OMV to permit an inmate to use certain documents as a valid
form of photo identification to obtain a special ID card and to determine and assess a
reasonable fee for the issuance of the special ID card.
Proposed law defines "time computation record". Provides that a special ID card issued with
a time computation record to an inmate is nonrenewable, nontransferable, and is valid for
a period of four years from the month of issuance.
Proposed law provides relative to funds that the DPS&C may utilize to implement and
administer proposed law.
Proposed law applies only to inmates who receive a special ID card pursuant to present law
(R.S. 40:1321).
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Proposed law requires the DPS&C to provide certain documentation and notification to an
inmate for the purpose of assistance with obtaining post-release employment. Further
exempts the issuance of certain documents for inmates who meet certain criteria.
Proposed law provides for a statement of legislative intent.
Proposed law requires the DPS&C, in addition to issuing the documentation provided in
proposed law, to issue a certificate of employability to an inmate upon release if he meets
certain requirements and criteria.
Proposed law provides for the form and contents of the certificate, restrictions that are not
affected by the earning of the certificate, and proceedings for revocation of a certificate.
Proposed law provides that the revocation of a certificate does not affect the right of an
employer who relied on the validity of the certificate unless the employer knew that the
certificate was fraudulent prior to employment of the individual.
Proposed law requires the DPS&C, upon request and with the individual's consent, to
confirm whether a certificate has been issued to a named individual and whether the
certificate is valid at both the time of the inquiry and at the time of response to that inquiry.
Proposed law provides that the DPS&C is not civilly liable for any damages based upon its
decision to issue, deny, revoke, or decline to revoke a certificate issued to any inmate.
Proposed law provides a defense in any proceeding that alleges negligent hiring against
certain individuals relative to knowledge of the certificate at the time of the alleged
negligence. Further provides that this defense does not apply in cases where the employer
knew or should have known that the employee should not have been hired for the position
due to information obtained from a background check, including criminal history.
Proposed law provides for duties of the DPS&C pertaining to notification of incoming
inmates regarding the eligibility requirements associated with a certificate of employability
and the submission of an annual report to certain legislative committees.
Proposed law authorizes the DPS&C, office of motor vehicles, and office of adult services
to promulgate rules in accordance with the APA to implement the provisions of proposed
law.
Proposed law provides that a certificate of employability issued from the DPS&C pursuant
to proposed law may be introduced in evidence at a judicial or administrative proceeding that
alleges the negligence or other fault of certain employers for the negligent hiring of or failure
to adequately supervise an individual who has been issued a certificate if the employer or
supervisor knew of the certificate at the time of the alleged negligence or other fault.
Effective upon signature of governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Adds R.S. 15:828.5 and 828.6 and C.E. Art. 416)
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