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HLS 26RS-367 ENGROSSED
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 167
BY REPRESENTATIVES FREIBERG AND CHENEVERT
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, relative to inmates; to provide for issuance of certain documentation
3 and certification to inmates; to provide for criteria; to provide for restrictions; to
4 provide for a definition; to provide for duties of the Department of Public Safety and
5 Corrections; to provide for duties of the office of motor vehicles; to provide for
6 rulemaking; and to provide for related matters.
7 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
8 Section 1. R.S. 15:828.5 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
9 §828.5. Post-release employment; relevant documentation
10 A. The Department of Public Safety and Corrections shall provide an inmate
11 who is housed in a state correctional facility, has been released from a term of
12 imprisonment that resulted from the commission of a felony offense, and who has
13 designated his intended residence within this state with the relevant documentation
14 to assist with the obtaining of post-release employment.
15 B.(1) The department shall coordinate with the office of motor vehicles to
16 do both of the following:
17 (a) Identify whether an inmate has any form of a state identification card or
18 a driver's license and begin the process of gathering the documentation required for
19 the issuance of a special identification card pursuant to R.S. 40:1321 within nine
20 months prior to the release of the inmate.
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HB NO. 167
1 (b) Provide a special identification card to any eligible inmate who does not
2 have a current state identification card or driver's license upon his release from
3 custody. The special identification card shall be issued, replaced, canceled, and
4 denied in the same manner as a driver's license pursuant to Chapter 2 of Title 32 of
5 the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950.
6 (2) The office of motor vehicles shall do both of the following:
7 (a)(i) Permit an inmate to use a copy of his birth certificate along with his
8 master prison record issued by the department as a valid form of photo identification
9 in order to obtain a special identification card.
10 (ii) For the purposes of this Subsection, "master prison record" means a
11 detailed calculation, maintained by the department, of the prison sentence of an
12 inmate that determines his release date and includes credit for time served, good
13 behavior, and program participation.
14 (b) Determine and assess a reasonable fee for the issuance of a special
15 identification card.
16 (3) A special identification card issued with a master prison record to an
17 inmate is nonrenewable, nontransferable, and is valid for a period of six years from
18 the month of issuance.
19 (4) The department may utilize any available funds, including but not limited
20 to inmate trust funds, existing department funds, and donations to cover the costs
21 associated with the implementation and administration of this Section and the
22 purchase of special identification cards.
23 C. The provisions of this Section apply only to inmates who receive a special
24 identification card pursuant to R.S. 40:1321 and who are in the physical custody and
25 control of the department.
26 D. For the purposes of assisting an inmate with obtaining post-release
27 employment, the department shall provide an inmate with all of the following:
28 (1) A copy of the educational and vocational training credentials or
29 certifications of the inmate earned during incarceration, if applicable.
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HB NO. 167
1 (2) A copy of the work record of the inmate, if applicable.
2 (3) A copy of the birth certificate of the inmate, if obtainable.
3 (4) A social security card or a replacement social security card of the inmate,
4 if obtainable.
5 E. This Section applies only to inmates who are in the physical custody and
6 control of the department and who are housed in a state correctional facility.
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 167 Engrossed 2026 Regular Session Freiberg
Abstract: Provides for the issuance of certain documentation to inmates before their release
from incarceration.
Proposed law requires the Dept. of Public Safety and Corrections (DPS&C) to provide an
inmate who is housed in a state correctional facility 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 in order to obtain a special ID card and determine and assess a
reasonable fee for the issuance of the special ID card.
Proposed law defines "master prison record". Provides that a special ID card issued with a
master prison record to an inmate is nonrenewable, nontransferable, and valid for a period
of six 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).
Proposed law requires the DPS&C to provide certain documentation to an inmate for the
purpose of assistance with obtaining post-release employment.
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HB NO. 167
Proposed law applies only to inmates who are in the physical custody and control of the
department.
(Adds R.S. 15:828.5)
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Administration of
Criminal Justice to the original bill:
1. Clarify that the documentation provided pursuant to proposed law is for inmates
housed in state correctional facilities.
2. Clarify that the copy of the birth certificate that can be provided to obtain a
special ID card does not have to be a certified copy.
3. Change the term "time computation record" to "master prison record".
4. Provide that the special ID card is valid for six years, rather than four years.
5. Clarify that proposed law applies only to inmates who are in the physical custody
and control of the DPS&C.
6. Require the DPS&C to provide an inmate with a copy of the educational and
vocational training credentials or certifications of the inmate earned during
incarceration, if applicable, rather than a copy of the inmate's vocational training
record.
7. Require the DPS&C to provide the inmate with a copy of his birth certificate,
rather than a certified copy, if obtainable.
8. Remove the requirement that the DPS&C provide an inmate with a resume,
documentation of a simulated job interview, and notification of the inmate's
eligibility to apply for certain occupational licenses or certifications.
9. Remove proposed law relative to certificates of employability regarding
admissibility as evidence in certain legal proceedings.
10. Provide that proposed law applies only to inmates who are in the physical
custody and control of the DPS&C and who are housed in a state correctional
facility.
11. Make technical changes.
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
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