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HLS 26RS-4073 REENGROSSED
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 1244 (Substitute for House Bill No. 679 by Representative
Ventrella)
BY REPRESENTATIVES VENTRELLA, BOUDREAUX, BOYD, BROUSSARD,
BRYANT, CHASSION, EDMONSTON, JACKSON, KNOX, LAFLEUR, TERRY
LANDRY, LYONS, MARCELLE, MARTINEZ, MOORE, SPELL, TAYLOR,
THOMPSON, WALTERS, AND WILEY
MTR VEHICLE/EMERGENCY: Establishes a driver's license designation for persons with
brain injuries
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 32:412(Section heading) and (R) and to enact R.S. 32:412(S),
3 relative to driver's license designations; to provide for the establishment of a brain
4 injury designation on driver's licenses; to provide for the criteria for obtaining the
5 designation for new applicants and renewals; to provide for penalties for persons
6 making false statements to obtain a brain injury special designation; to require the
7 implementation of law enforcement officer training; to provide for rulemaking; and
8 to provide for related matters.
9 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
10 Section 1. R.S. 32:412(Section heading) and (R) are hereby amended and reenacted
11 and R.S. 32:412(S) is hereby enacted to read as follows:
12 §412. Amount of fees; credit or refund; duration of license; veteran designation;
13 special needs or accommodation designations; brain injury designation;
14 disbursement of funds; renewal by mail or electronic commerce of Class "D"
15 or "E" drivers' licenses; disposition of certain fees; exception
16 * * *
17 R.(1) Upon request of an applicant for a driver's license, a designation that
18 the applicant has a brain injury shall be exhibited on the driver's license upon
19 presentation of a statement from a qualified medical or mental health professional
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HLS 26RS-4073 REENGROSSED
HB NO. 1244
1 licensed in Louisiana or any other state or territory of the United States verifying the
2 applicant's disability as established by administrative rule. The qualified medical or
3 mental health professional shall be authorized to diagnose brain injuries. No
4 additional fee shall be charged to include this designation.
5 (2) Upon the renewal of a driver's license, a driver who has a brain injury
6 shall provide a statement from a qualified medical or mental health professional
7 licensed in Louisiana or any other state or territory of the United States verifying his
8 disability as established by administrative rule.
9 (3) Any person who has not been diagnosed with a brain injury who willfully
10 and falsely represents himself as having the qualifications to obtain the special
11 designation authorized by this Subsection shall be fined not less than one hundred
12 dollars nor more than two hundred fifty dollars, or shall be imprisoned for not more
13 than thirty days, or both. Any subsequent offense shall result in a fine of not less than
14 two hundred fifty dollars nor more than five hundred dollars, or imprisonment for
15 not more than ninety days, or both.
16 (4) In addition to the training requirements contained in R.S. 40:2404.2(C),
17 the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement and Administration of Criminal
18 Justice shall establish and implement law enforcement training relative to law
19 enforcement officers' interactions with persons with a brain injury. The training shall
20 instruct law enforcement officers on sensitivity and awareness to ensure equitable
21 treatment and how to effectively communicate and interact with persons with a brain
22 injury. At a minimum, the training shall include the following:
23 (a) Identification of indicators that a person has a brain injury.
24 (b) Identification of procedures that an officer should employ when
25 encountering a person with a brain injury.
26 (c) Demonstrations of communication and interactive techniques required
27 to effectively interact with a person with a brain injury.
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1 (d) Explanations that provide law enforcement officers with an
2 understanding of the brain injury and examples of unexpected actions that could
3 potentially be taken by persons diagnosed with a brain injury.
4 (e) Explanations of the resources available to assist an officer encountering
5 a person with a brain injury.
6 (f) Descriptions of the procedures an officer should use to ensure compliance
7 with the Americans with Disabilities Act when encountering a person with a brain
8 injury.
9 (5) The deputy secretary of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections,
10 public safety services, shall promulgate rules and regulations as necessary to
11 implement the provisions of this Subsection, including a waiver of liability for the
12 release of any medical information. Notwithstanding the provisions of R.S.
13 49:966(B)(12), the House and Senate committees on transportation, highways and
14 public works shall have oversight of the adoption of rules and regulations required
15 by this Subsection.
16 R. S. An applicant for any class of license may choose to donate one dollar
17 in addition to any license fee required by this Section to the Louisiana Military
18 Family Assistance Fund.
19 Section 2. This Act shall be known as "Riley's Law".
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 1244 Reengrossed 2026 Regular Session Ventrella
Abstract: Creates a designation on driver's licenses for persons with brain injuries.
Proposed law establishes the application process for obtaining a driver's license with a brain
injury designation for new applicants and renewals.
Proposed law requires a brain injury designation be displayed on the driver's license upon
receipt of a statement from a qualified medical or mental health professional licensed in La.
or any other state or territory of the U.S. verifying the applicant's disability as established
by administrative rule. Further requires the qualified medical or mental health professional
be authorized to diagnose a brain injury.
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Proposed law specifies that no additional fee can be charged to include the brain injury
designation.
Proposed law specifies that any person who has not been diagnosed with a brain injury who
makes a false statement of having the qualification to obtain the special designation will be
fined not less than $100 nor more than $250, or be imprisoned for not more than 30 days,
or both. Further, requires any subsequent offense carry a fine of not less than $250 nor more
than $500, or imprisonment for not more than 90 days, or both.
Proposed law requires the La. Commission on Law Enforcement and Administration of
Criminal Justice to establish and implement law enforcement training relative to law
enforcement officers' interactions with persons who have a brain injury, in addition to the
requirements of present law.
Proposed law requires the training instruct law enforcement officers on sensitivity and
awareness to ensure equitable treatment and how to effectively communicate and interact
with persons who have a brain injury.
Proposed law requires the training include identification of indicators that a person has a
brain injury; identification of procedures that an officer should employ when encountering
a person who has a brain injury; demonstrations of communication and interactive
techniques required to effectively interact with a person who has a brain injury; explanations
that provide law enforcement officers with an understanding of brain injuries and examples
of unexpected actions that could potentially be taken by persons diagnosed with brain
injuries; explanations of the resources available to assist an officer encountering a person
with a brain injury; and descriptions of the procedures an officer should use to ensure
compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act when encountering a person with a
brain injury.
Proposed law authorizes the deputy secretary of the Dept. of Public Safety and Corrections
to promulgate rules and regulations to implement the provisions of proposed law. Provides
rule oversight authority to the House and Senate committees on transportation, highways and
public works.
Proposed law designates proposed law to be known as "Riley's Law".
(Amends R.S. 32:412(Section heading) and (R); Adds R.S. 32:412(S))
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The House Floor Amendments to the engrossed bill:
1. Make technical changes.
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