HB168 • 2026

CORRECTIONS: Creates a transitional reentry program for female parolees (EN SEE FISC NOTE GF EX)

Crime

Enacted

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

Sponsor: Barbara Reich Freiberg
Last action: 2026-05-22
Official status: Signed by the Governor - Act 290
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on funding or additional screening processes, leaving some aspects unspecified.

Transitional Reentry Program for Female Parolees

This act establishes a transitional reentry program to assist female parolees with their return to the community.

What This Bill Does

Creates a new law that sets up a special program for women who are about to be released from prison on parole.
Defines what the transitional reentry program is and how it will work, run by the Department of Public Safety and Corrections.
Sets rules for which female offenders can join this program based on their time served in prison and behavior while incarcerated.

Who It Names or Affects

Female parolees who meet the eligibility criteria set by the Department of Public Safety and Corrections.
The Department of Public Safety and Corrections, which will run the program.

Terms To Know

Transitional reentry program: A special program designed to help female parolees adjust back into society after being released from prison.
Eligibility criteria: The requirements that must be met for a person to join the transitional reentry program.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify how much funding will be provided for this new program.
It is unclear what additional screening or assessment processes might be required by the Department of Public Safety and Corrections beyond those listed in the bill.

Amendments

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

House Committee Amendment #2876 ACRJ Adopted

Adopted

Plain English: HCAHB168 4274 2876 HOUSE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by House Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice to Original House Bill No.

HCAHB168 4274 2876 HOUSE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by House Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice to Original House Bill No.
168 by Representative Freiberg 1 AMENDMENT NO.
1 2 On page 1, line 2, after "R.S.
15:574.23" and before the comma "," insert "and to repeal R.S.

House Committee Amendment #1357 ACRJ Draft

Draft

Plain English: HCAHB168 4274 1357 HOUSE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by House Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice to Original House Bill No.

HCAHB168 4274 1357 HOUSE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by House Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice to Original House Bill No.
168 by Representative Freiberg 1 AMENDMENT NO.
1 2 On page 1, line 2, after "R.S.
15:574.23" and before the comma "," insert "and to repeal R.S.

Bill History

2026-05-22 H
Effective date: 08/01/2026.
2026-05-22 H
Signed by the Governor. Becomes Act No. 290.
2026-05-19 H
Sent to the Governor for executive approval.
2026-05-18 S
Signed by the President of the Senate.
2026-05-18 H
Enrolled and signed by the Speaker of the House.
2026-05-18 H
Received from the Senate without amendments.
2026-05-13 S
Rules suspended. Read by title, passed by a vote of 32 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.
2026-05-07 S
Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments. Read by title and passed to third reading and final passage.
2026-05-06 S
Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.
2026-05-05 S
Rules suspended. Reported favorably.
2026-04-13 S
Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Judiciary B.
2026-04-08 S
Received in the Senate. Read first time by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.
2026-04-08 H
Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 95, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.
2026-04-07 H
Scheduled for floor debate on 04/08/2026.
2026-04-01 H
Read by title, amended, ordered engrossed, passed to 3rd reading.
2026-03-31 H
Reported with amendments (8-0).
2026-03-09 H
Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice.
2026-02-20 H
First appeared in the Interim Calendar on 2/20/2026.
2026-02-18 H
Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice.
2026-02-18 H
Prefiled.

Official Summary Text

CORRECTIONS: Creates a transitional reentry program for female parolees (EN SEE FISC NOTE GF EX)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

ENROLLED
ACT No. 2902026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 168
BY REPRESENTATIVES FREIBERG, ADAMS, BAYHAM, BERAULT, BILLINGS,
BOYD, BRASS, BRYANT, BUTLER, CARPENTER, CARRIER, CARVER,
CHENEVERT, DICKERSON, EDMONSTON, FISHER, FONTENOT, FREEMAN,
GREEN, JORDAN, KNOX, LAFLEUR, MANDIE LANDRY, TERRY LANDRY,
LARVADAIN, LYONS, MARTINEZ, MELERINE, MILLER, MOORE,
MURRAY, PHELPS, SAWYER, SCHLEGEL, SPELL, TAYLOR, THOMPSON,
VILLIO, AND WYBLE
1 AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 15:574.23 and to repeal R.S. 15:828.4, relative to parole; to establish the
3 transitional reentry program for female parolees; to provide for administration of the
4 program; to provide for eligibility criteria; and to provide for related matters.
5 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
6 Section 1. R.S. 15:574.23 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
7 §574.23. Transitional reentry program for female parolees; establishment
8 A. For the purposes of this Section, "transitional reentry program" means a
9 structured reentry preparatory program administered by the Department of Public
10 Safety and Corrections for female parolees that is designed to facilitate their safe and
11 successful reintegration into the community.
12 B. A female offender shall be eligible for consideration of placement in the
13 transitional reentry program if she meets all of the following conditions:
14 (1) Notwithstanding the provisions of R.S. 15:574.4, she is currently eligible
15 for parole consideration and has met all of the following criteria:
16 (a) She has served at least five years of imprisonment in actual custody.
17 (b) The instant conviction or any prior conviction is not a sex offense as
18 defined in R.S. 15:541.
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HB NO. 168 ENROLLED
1 (c) She is within six months of her projected release date based on
2 diminution of sentence pursuant to R.S. 15:571.3.
3 (d) She has not been denied parole in the previous twelve months.
4 (e) She has not committed any major disciplinary offenses in the twelve
5 months prior to her entering the program. A major disciplinary offense is an offense
6 identified as a Schedule B offense by the Department of Public Safety and
7 Corrections in the Disciplinary Rules and Procedures for Adult Offenders.
8 (2) She has been granted parole pursuant to this Part.
9 (3) She voluntarily agrees to participate in and adhere to any additional
10 screening, assessment, or eligibility requirements established by the Department of
11 Public Safety and Corrections.
12 Section 2. R.S. 15:828.4 is hereby repealed in its entirety.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED:
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.