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HLS 26RS-4001 RE-REENGROSSED
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 1245 (Substitute for House Bill No. 91 by Representative Wiley)
BY REPRESENTATIVES WILEY AND CHASSION
LAW ENFORCEMENT: Provides relative to disclosure of certain law enforcement records
1 AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 44:4(65), relative to disclosure of certain records; to prohibit the disclosure
3 of certain records pertaining to law enforcement; to provide for a definition; to
4 provide for a public records exception; and to provide for related matters.
5 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
6 Section 1. R.S. 44:4(65) is hereby enacted to read as follows:
7 §4. Applicability
8 This Chapter shall not apply:
9 * * *
10 (65)(a) To the record of arrests and prosecutions, also known as the "rap
11 sheet", contained in the criminal history records of any person who serves as a
12 witness in a criminal proceeding and which records are in the custody of the clerk
13 of court, unless the records are voluntarily released by the person, otherwise
14 available to the general public, or released by court order.
15 (b) For purposes of this Paragraph, "criminal history records" means records
16 collected and maintained by the Criminal Justice Information Services Division of
17 the Federal Bureau of Investigation or the Louisiana Computerized Criminal History
18 System operated by the Department of Public Safety and Corrections.
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HLS 26RS-4001 RE-REENGROSSED
HB NO. 1245
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 1245 Re-Reengrossed 2026 Regular Session Wiley
Abstract: Prohibits the disclosure of the sealed record of arrests and prosecutions contained
in the criminal history records of any person who serves as a witness in a criminal
proceeding and which records are in the custody of the clerk of court.
Present law (Public Records Law) generally provides that any person of the age of majority
may inspect, copy, or reproduce any public record, and places certain duties on the custodian
of a public record to make such records available upon request.
Proposed law retains present law.
Present law (R.S. 44:4) provides certain exceptions to the Public Records Law.
Proposed law retains present law and provides an exception for the record of arrests and
prosecutions, also known as the "rap sheet", contained in the criminal history records of any
person who serves as a witness in a criminal proceeding and which records are in the custody
of the clerk of court, unless the records are voluntarily released by the person, otherwise
available to the general public, or released by court order.
Present law defines "criminal history records".
Proposed law retains present law and applies the same definition to proposed law.
(Adds R.S. 44:4(65))
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on House and
Governmental Affairs to the engrossed bill:
1. Remove a proposed law exception for records of certain prosecutive,
investigative, and law enforcement agencies.
2. Remove a proposed law limitation of liability for the clerk of court as custodian
of records.
3. Provide that the proposed law exception applies to the social security number,
home address, and date of birth contained in the criminal history records of an
employee of a criminal justice agency who serves as a witness in a criminal
proceeding and which records are in the custody of the clerk of court.
4. Define "criminal justice agency".
The House Floor Amendments to the reengrossed bill:
1. Modify proposed law to provide that the proposed law exception applies to the
record of arrests and prosecutions of any witness in a criminal proceeding and
which records are in the custody of the clerk of court.
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HLS 26RS-4001 RE-REENGROSSED
HB NO. 1245
2. Remove the proposed law definition for "criminal justice agency".
3. Make technical changes.
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.