HB245 • 2026

PAROLE: Provides relative to medical parole (EN NO IMPACT See Note)

Crime Healthcare

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Bryan Fontenot
Last action: 2026-05-21
Official status: Sent to Governor
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide specific details on the review process by district attorneys and the attorney general.

Medical Parole for Disabled and Ill Prisoners

This bill changes Louisiana's laws to allow medical parole for prisoners who are permanently disabled or terminally ill, and it requires the district attorney and the attorney general to be notified before certain hearings.

What This Bill Does

Changes the law so that people in prison who have permanent disabilities or terminal illnesses can get medical parole.
Requires written notice at least ninety days before a regular parole hearing and thirty days before a medical parole or medical treatment furlough hearing for the district attorney of the parish where the conviction occurred and the attorney general.

Who It Names or Affects

People in prison who are permanently disabled or terminally ill
District attorneys of the parish where the conviction occurred
The attorney general

Terms To Know

Medical parole: Allowing a prisoner to leave prison for medical reasons.
Terminal illness: A disease that cannot be cured and will lead to death.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify what happens if the victim or their family members do not want to receive notice.
It is unclear how this law will affect parole decisions for prisoners who are not terminally ill or permanently disabled.
The effective date of the bill has not been set.

Bill History

2026-05-21 H
Sent to the Governor for executive approval.
2026-05-20 S
Signed by the President of the Senate.
2026-05-20 H
Enrolled and signed by the Speaker of the House.
2026-05-20 H
Received from the Senate without amendments.
2026-05-19 S
Read by title, passed by a vote of 33 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.
2026-05-19 S
Rules suspended. Called from the Calendar.
2026-05-05 S
Read by title and returned to the Calendar, subject to call.
2026-04-27 S
Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments. Read by title and passed to third reading and final passage.
2026-04-22 S
Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.
2026-04-21 S
Reported favorably.
2026-04-13 S
Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Judiciary C.
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, ordered engrossed, passed to 3rd reading.
2026-03-31 H
Reported favorably (7-0).
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.
2026-02-20 H
Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice.
2026-02-20 H
Prefiled.

Official Summary Text

PAROLE: Provides relative to medical parole (EN NO IMPACT See Note)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

ENROLLED
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 245
BY REPRESENTATIVE FONTENOT
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 15:574.2(D)(8)(a) and (D)(9)(a)(i) and 574.22, relative to
3 medical parole and medical treatment furlough; to provide notice to certain
4 individuals before a hearing on medical parole or medical treatment furlough; to
5 provide for medical parole for permanently disabled and terminally ill offenders; and
6 to provide for related matters.
7 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
8 Section 1. R.S. 15:574.2(D)(8)(a) and (D)(9)(a)(i) and 574.22 are hereby amended
9 and reenacted to read as follows:
10 §574.2. Committee on parole, Board of Pardons; membership; qualifications;
11 vacancies; compensation; domicile; venue; meetings; quorum; panels;
12 powers and duties; transfer of property to committee; representation of
13 applicants before the committee; prohibitions
14 * * *
15 D. In accordance with the provisions of this Part, the committee on parole
16 shall have the following powers and duties:
17 * * *
18 (8)(a) To notify the district attorney of the parish where the conviction
19 occurred and the attorney general. The notification shall be in writing and shall be
20 issued at least ninety days prior to the parole hearing date and at least thirty days
21 prior to a medical parole or medical treatment furlough hearing date. The district
22 attorney of the parish where the conviction occurred and the attorney general shall
23 be allowed to may review the record of the offender since incarceration, including
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HB NO. 245 ENROLLED
1 but not limited to any educational or vocational training, rehabilitative program
2 participation, disciplinary conduct, and risk assessment score. The district attorney
3 and the attorney general shall be allowed to may present testimony to the committee
4 on parole and submit information relevant to the proceedings.
5 * * *
6 (9)(a)(i) To notify the victim, or the spouse or next of kin of a deceased
7 victim, when the offender is scheduled for a parole hearing. The notification shall
8 be in writing and sent by mail or electronic communications no less than at least
9 ninety days prior to the parole hearing date and at least thirty days prior to a medical
10 parole or medical treatment furlough hearing date. The notice shall advise the
11 victim, or the spouse or next of kin of a deceased victim, of how to obtain
12 information about their rights with regard to the hearing. The notice is not required
13 when the victim, or the spouse or next of kin of a deceased victim, advises the
14 committee in writing that such notification is not desired.
15 * * *
16 §574.22. Parole ineligibility
17 No person committed to the Department of Public Safety and Corrections for
18 an offense committed on or after August 1, 2024, shall be is eligible for parole under
19 pursuant to this Part except a person who satisfies the provisions of R.S.
20 15:574.4(D), (E), (F), (G), (H), (J), or (K), or R.S. 15:574.20(B) or (C).
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED:
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