CRIME: Prohibits relative to the manufacturing and sale of motor vehicle key programming or emulation devices (EN SEE FISC NOTE LF EX)

Crime

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: Dana Henry
Last action: 2026-05-29
Official status: Signed by the Governor - Act 578
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Law to Stop Making and Selling Car Key Hack Tools

This law makes it illegal for most people to make, sell, or use devices that can hack car keys in Louisiana.

What This Bill Does

Defines what a 'motor vehicle key programming or emulating device' is: any tool used to electronically communicate with a car's lock system.
Makes it against the law to manufacture, sell, offer to sell, transfer, or possess these devices unless allowed by specific exceptions.
Allows certain groups like police officers and authorized dealers to use these tools for legal reasons.
Requires people who are allowed to have these devices to report any loss or theft of them within 48 hours.

Who It Names or Affects

People who make, sell, buy, or use car key hacking devices
Law enforcement officers and authorized dealers

Terms To Know

Motor vehicle key programming or emulating device: A tool that can electronically communicate with a car's lock system to unlock or start the car.
Relay attack device: A device used to intercept signals from a car key fob to unlock or start the car without permission.

Limits and Unknowns

The law does not apply to certain groups like police officers and authorized dealers who have legal reasons to use these devices.
It is unclear how strictly this law will be enforced or what penalties people might face for breaking it.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

House Committee Amendment #4409 ACRJ Adopted

Adopted

Plain English: HCAHB1104 3264 4409 HOUSE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by House Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice to Original House Bill No.

HCAHB1104 3264 4409 HOUSE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by House Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice to Original House Bill No.
1104 by Representative Dana Henry 1 AMENDMENT NO.
1 2 On page 1, line 2, delete "possession," 3 AMENDMENT NO.
2 4 On page 1, line 4, delete "possession," 5 AMENDMENT NO.

House Committee Amendment #4195 ACRJ Draft

Draft

Plain English: HCAHB1104 4825 4195 HOUSE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by House Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice to Original House Bill No.

HCAHB1104 4825 4195 HOUSE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by House Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice to Original House Bill No.
1104 by Representative Dana Henry 1 AMENDMENT NO.
1 2 On page 1, line 2, delete "possession," 3 AMENDMENT NO.
2 4 On page 1, line 4, delete "possession," 5 AMENDMENT NO.

Bill History

2026-05-29 H
Effective date: 08/01/2026.
2026-05-29 H
Signed by the Governor. Becomes Act No. 578.
2026-05-26 H
Sent to the Governor for executive approval.
2026-05-25 S
Signed by the President of the Senate.
2026-05-25 H
Enrolled and signed by the Speaker of the House.
2026-05-25 H
Received from the Senate without amendments.
2026-05-21 S
Rules suspended. Read by title, passed by a vote of 35 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.
2026-05-14 S
Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments. Read by title and passed to third reading and final passage.
2026-05-13 S
Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.
2026-05-12 S
Reported favorably.
2026-05-04 S
Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Judiciary C.
2026-04-29 S
Received in the Senate. Rules suspended. Read first time by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.
2026-04-29 H
Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 98, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.
2026-04-27 H
Scheduled for floor debate on 04/29/2026.
2026-04-27 H
Read by title, amended, ordered engrossed, passed to 3rd reading.
2026-04-23 H
Reported with amendments (8-0).
2026-04-01 H
Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice.
2026-03-31 H
Read by title. Lies over under the rules.

Official Summary Text

CRIME: Prohibits relative to the manufacturing and sale of motor vehicle key programming or emulation devices (EN SEE FISC NOTE LF EX)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

ENROLLED
ACT No. 5782026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 1104
BY REPRESENTATIVES DANA HENRY, AMEDEE, BAYHAM, BOYD, WILFORD
CARTER, FISHER, GREEN, JACKSON, JACOB LANDRY, LARVADAIN,
MURRAY, NEWELL, ST. BLANC, TAYLOR, VILLIO, AND WALTERS
1 AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 14:406, relative to the manufacture, transfer, or sale of motor vehicle key
3 programming or emulating devices or relay attack devices; to prohibit the
4 manufacture, transfer, or sale of such devices; to provide for definitions; to provide
5 for exceptions; to provide for penalties; and to provide for related matters.
6 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
7 Section 1. R.S. 14:406 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
8 §406. Motor vehicle key programming and emulating devices
9 A. For the purposes of this Section, the following terms have the following
10 meanings:
11 (1) "Motor vehicle key programming or emulating device" means any
12 device, computer program, application, or software designed or used to electronically
13 communicate with a motor vehicle for the purpose of programming or emulating a
14 motor vehicle key fob that is capable of being used to unlock or start the motor
15 vehicle.
16 (2) "Relay attack device" means any device, computer program, application,
17 or software designed or used to intercept the signal from the key fob of a motor
18 vehicle to unlock or start the motor vehicle.
Page 1 of 3
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HB NO. 1104 ENROLLED
1 B.(1) Except as provided in Subsection C of this Section, no person shall
2 knowingly manufacture, sell, offer to sell, or transfer a motor vehicle key
3 programming or emulating device or a relay attack device. No person shall
4 knowingly possess such a device under circumstances indicating an intent to use or
5 permit the use of the device to commit a theft, unauthorized entry into a motor
6 vehicle, or any other criminal offense.
7 (a) Possession alone of a motor vehicle key programming or emulating
8 device or a relay attack device does not constitute a violation of this Section.
9 (b) Criminal intent may be inferred from the circumstances, including but
10 not limited to the following:
11 (i) Possession while attempting to enter a motor vehicle without
12 authorization.
13 (ii) Possession of multiple such devices without a lawful purpose.
14 (iii) Possession in conjunction with tools commonly used for vehicle theft.
15 (2) Whoever violates Paragraph (1) of this Subsection shall be fined not
16 more than one thousand dollars or imprisoned for not more than six months, or both.
17 C. This Section does not apply to the manufacture, sale, offer to sell,
18 transfer, or use of a motor vehicle key programming or emulating device or a relay
19 attack device for a lawful and reasonable purpose by or to a law enforcement officer,
20 an employee of the National Insurance Crime Bureau, or an employee of a licensed
21 dealer, distributor, or manufacturer of motor vehicles or motor vehicle locks, a motor
22 vehicle mechanic shop, locksmith company, or repossession agency.
23 D.(1) A person authorized to manufacture, sell, offer to sell, transfer, or
24 possess a motor vehicle key programming or emulating device or a relay attack
25 device, or aid or permit another to use a motor vehicle key programming or
26 emulating device or a relay attack device, shall report the loss or theft of such device
27 to a law enforcement agency within the jurisdiction where the device is known or
28 reasonably believed to have been lost or stolen, within forty-eight hours after
29 becoming aware of the loss or theft.
Page 2 of 3
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HB NO. 1104 ENROLLED
1 (2) Whoever violates Paragraph (1) of this Subsection shall be fined not
2 more than one thousand dollars or imprisoned for not more than six months, or both.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED:
Page 3 of 3
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.