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HB265 • 2026

CRIME: Provides relative to conduct that constitutes the crime of video voyeurism

CRIME: Provides relative to conduct that constitutes the crime of video voyeurism

Crime
Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Mandie Landry
Last action
2026-05-25
Official status
Signed by the Speaker
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not support the claim that violators must register as sex offenders.

CRIME: Provides relative to conduct that constitutes the crime of video voyeurism

This act updates Louisiana's laws to include using cameras or drones to record a deceased person as a crime, with exceptions for certain professionals and activities.

What This Bill Does

  • Adds new types of conduct that are considered video voyeurism when it involves recording a dead body without permission.
  • Specifies that law enforcement officers can still take photos or videos if they're doing their job.
  • Allows telephone companies, cable providers, internet service providers, and news organizations to share images legally.
  • Defines what an unmanned aircraft system is for this law.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who record a dead body without permission
  • Law enforcement officers
  • Telephone companies, cable providers, internet service providers, and news organizations

Terms To Know

Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS)
A drone or other flying machine that doesn't have a person on board.

Limits and Unknowns

  • Does not specify when the new law will start.
  • Does not explain how it affects existing cases or penalties.

Amendments

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

Filed

Plain English: The amendment adds an exception to the crime of video voyeurism for certain funeral or memorial services conducted with permission from the deceased's family.

  • Adds an exception to the crime of video voyeurism for lawful funeral, memorial, graveside, or other end-of-life ceremonies that are held with the consent of the decedent’s next of kin or authorized representative.
  • The amendment text does not provide specific details on how this exception will be enforced or what constitutes 'lawful' services in this context.
Adopted

Plain English: HFAHB265 4274 3749 FOR OFFICE USE ONLY HOUSE FLOOR AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by Representative Mandie Landry to Engrossed House Bill No.

  • HFAHB265 4274 3749 FOR OFFICE USE ONLY HOUSE FLOOR AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by Representative Mandie Landry to Engrossed House Bill No.
  • 265 by Representative Mandie Landry 1 AMENDMENT NO.
  • 1 2 On page 4, after line 4, add the following: 3 "Section 4.
  • This Act shall be cited and referred to as the "Jacob Carter Dignity in 4 Death Act"." Page 1 of 1 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored are additions.
Adopted

Plain English: The amendment changes the wording of a bill about video voyeurism to clarify its intent and possibly correct or update an existing legal reference.

  • Adds 'and reenact' after 'To amend' in the beginning of the bill text.
  • The amendment's exact impact is unclear without knowing the full context of the original bill and what 'reenact' specifically means for this legal change.
Adopted

Plain English: HCAHB265 4274 3313 HOUSE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by House Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice to Original House Bill No.

  • HCAHB265 4274 3313 HOUSE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by House Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice to Original House Bill No.
  • 265 by Representative Mandie Landry 1 AMENDMENT NO.
  • 1 2 On page 1, line 2, change "enact R.S.
  • 14:283(A)(4)" to "amend R.S.
Draft

Plain English: The amendment changes the definition and penalties for video voyeurism, adding exceptions for certain professionals and organizations.

  • Adds exceptions to the crime of video voyeurism for law enforcement officers performing official duties, telecommunications companies providing services, and news-gathering organizations.
  • Specifies that a violation of video voyeurism is considered a sex offense requiring registration as a sex offender.
  • Defines 'unmanned aircraft system' in relation to video voyeurism.
  • The amendment text includes technical legal language which may be difficult for some readers to fully understand without additional context.
Filed

Plain English: The amendment to HB265 is about agreeing with changes made by the Senate regarding laws on video voyeurism.

  • The House agrees to adopt amendments made by the Senate to HB265, which deals with the crime of video voyeurism.
  • The official text does not provide specific details about what the Senate amendments entail, only that the House is voting to concur in them.
Adopted

Plain English: SFAHB265 4769 3201 SENATE FLOOR AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by Senator Morris to Reengrossed House Bill No.

  • SFAHB265 4769 3201 SENATE FLOOR AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by Senator Morris to Reengrossed House Bill No.
  • 265 by Representative Mandie Landry 1 AMENDMENT NO.
  • 1 2 On page 2, between lines 12 and 13, insert: 3 "(4) The use of any camera, videotape, photo-optical, photo-electric, or other 4 image recording device, or an unmanned aircraft system equipped with such devices, 5 when used in connection with a lawful funeral service, memorial service, graveside 6 service, or other end-of-life ceremony conducted by or with the consent of the 7 decedent's next of kin or authorized representative." Page 1 of 1

Bill History

  1. 2026-05-25 H

    Enrolled and signed by the Speaker of the House.

  2. 2026-05-22 H

    Sent to the Governor for executive approval.

  3. 2026-05-21 S

    Signed by the President of the Senate.

  4. 2026-05-20 H

    Read by title, roll called, yeas 91, nays 0, Senate amendments concurred in.

  5. 2026-05-19 H

    Scheduled for concurrence on 05/20/2026.

  6. 2026-05-13 H

    Received from the Senate with amendments.

  7. 2026-05-12 S

    Rules suspended. Senate floor amendments read and adopted. Read by title, passed by a vote of 33 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

  8. 2026-05-04 S

    Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments. Read by title and passed to third reading and final passage.

  9. 2026-04-29 S

    Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.

  10. 2026-04-28 S

    Reported favorably.

  11. 2026-04-20 S

    Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Judiciary C.

  12. 2026-04-15 S

    Received in the Senate. Read first time by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.

  13. 2026-04-14 H

    Read third time by title, amended, roll called on final passage, yeas 95, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.

  14. 2026-04-13 H

    Scheduled for floor debate on 04/14/2026.

  15. 2026-04-09 H

    Read by title, amended, ordered engrossed, passed to 3rd reading.

  16. 2026-04-08 H

    Reported with amendments (10-0).

  17. 2026-03-09 H

    Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice.

  18. 2026-02-27 H

    First appeared in the Interim Calendar on 2/27/2026.

  19. 2026-02-23 H

    Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice.

  20. 2026-02-23 H

    Prefiled.

Official Summary Text

CRIME: Provides relative to conduct that constitutes the crime of video voyeurism

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
ENROLLED
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 265
BY REPRESENTATIVE MANDIE LANDRY
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 14:283(C) and R.S. 15:541(24)(a), to enact R.S. 14:283(A)(4),
3 (D), and (E), and to repeal R.S. 14:283(F) through (H), relative to video voyeurism;
4 to provide for additional conduct that constitutes the crime of video voyeurism; to
5 provide for exceptions; to provide for redesignation of certain citations; to provide
6 relative to sex offender registration; and to provide for related matters.
7 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
8 Section 1. R.S. 14:283(C) is hereby amended and reenacted and R.S. 14:283(A)(4),
9 (D), and (E) are hereby enacted to read as follows:
10 §283. Video voyeurism; penalties
11 A. Video voyeurism is any of the following:
12 * * *
13 (4) The use of any camera, videotape, photo-optical, photo-electric, or any
14 other image recording device or an unmanned aircraft system equipped with any
15 camera, videotape, photo-optical, photo-electric, or any other image recording device
16 for the purpose of observing, viewing, photographing, filming, or videotaping the
17 body of a deceased person.
18 * * *
19 C. The provisions of this This Section shall does not apply to any of the
20 following:
21 (1) Any law enforcement officer in his official capacity while in the
22 performance of his official duties.
23 (2) the The transference of such images by a telephone company, cable
24 television company, or any of its affiliates, an Internet provider, or commercial
Page 1 of 4
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HB NO. 265 ENROLLED
1 online service provider, or to the carrying, broadcasting, or performing of related
2 activities in providing telephone, cable television, Internet, or commercial online
3 services.
4 (3) Any bona fide news or public interest broadcast, website, video, report,
5 or event and shall not be construed to affect the rights of any news-gathering
6 organization.
7 (4) The use of any camera, videotape, photo-optical, photo-electric, or other
8 image recording device, or an unmanned aircraft system equipped with such devices,
9 when used in connection with a lawful funeral service, memorial service, graveside
10 service, or other end-of-life ceremony conducted by or with the consent of the
11 decedent's next of kin or authorized representative.
12 F. D. A violation of the provisions Paragraph (A)(1), (2), or (3) of this
13 Section shall be is considered a sex offense as defined in R.S. 15:541. Whoever
14 commits the crime of video voyeurism shall be in violation of Paragraph (A)(1), (2),
15 or (3) of this Section is required to register as a sex offender as provided for in
16 Chapter 3-B of Title 15 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950.
17 G. E. For the purposes of this Section, "unmanned aircraft system" means
18 an unmanned, powered aircraft that does not carry a human operator, can be
19 autonomous or remotely piloted or operated, and can be expendable or recoverable.
20 H. This Section shall not apply to any bona fide news or public interest
21 broadcast, website, video, report, or event and shall not be construed to affect the
22 rights of any news-gathering organization.
23 Section 2. R.S. 15:541(24)(a) is hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows:
24 §541. Definitions
25 For the purposes of this Chapter, the definitions of terms in this Section shall
26 apply:
27 * * *
28 (24)(a) "Sex offense" means deferred adjudication, adjudication withheld,
29 or conviction for the perpetration or attempted perpetration of or conspiracy to
30 commit human trafficking when prosecuted under the provisions of R.S.
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are additions.
HB NO. 265 ENROLLED
1 14:46.2(B)(2), R.S. 14:46.3 (trafficking of children for sexual purposes), R.S. 14:89
2 (crime against nature), R.S. 14:89.1 (aggravated crime against nature), R.S.
3 14:89.2(B)(3) (crime against nature by solicitation), R.S. 14:80 (felony carnal
4 knowledge of a juvenile), R.S. 14:81 (indecent behavior with juveniles), R.S. 14:81.1
5 (pornography involving juveniles) which occurred prior to August 1, 2025, R.S.
6 14:81.2 (molestation of a juvenile or a person with a physical or mental disability),
7 R.S. 14:81.3 (computer-aided solicitation of a minor), R.S. 14:81.4 (prohibited
8 sexual conduct between an educator and student), R.S. 14:82.1 (prostitution; persons
9 under eighteen), R.S. 14:82.2(C)(4) or (5) (purchase of commercial sexual activity),
10 R.S. 14:83(B)(2) or (3) (soliciting for prostitutes), R.S. 14:92(A)(7) (contributing to
11 the delinquency of juveniles), R.S. 14:93.5 (sexual battery of persons with
12 infirmities), R.S. 14:106(A)(5) (obscenity by solicitation of a person under the age
13 of seventeen), R.S. 14:283(A)(1), (2), or (3) (video voyeurism), R.S. 14:41 (rape),
14 R.S. 14:42 (aggravated or first degree rape), R.S. 14:42.1 (forcible or second degree
15 rape), R.S. 14:43 (simple or third degree rape), R.S. 14:43.1 (sexual battery), R.S.
16 14:43.2 (second degree sexual battery), R.S. 14:43.3 (oral sexual battery), R.S.
17 14:43.5 (intentional exposure to HIV), a second or subsequent conviction of R.S.
18 14:283.1 (voyeurism), or a second or subsequent conviction of R.S. 14:89.3 (sexual
19 abuse of an animal), committed on or after June 18, 1992, or committed prior to June
20 18, 1992, if the person, as a result of the offense, is under the custody of the
21 Department of Public Safety and Corrections on or after June 18, 1992. A conviction
22 for any offense provided in this definition includes a conviction for the offense under
23 the laws of another state, or military, territorial, foreign, tribal, or federal law which
24 is equivalent to an offense provided for in this Chapter, unless the tribal court or
25 foreign conviction was not obtained with sufficient safeguards for fundamental
26 fairness and due process for the accused as provided by the federal guidelines
27 adopted pursuant to the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006.
28 * * *
29 Section 3. R.S. 14:283(F) through (H) are hereby repealed in their entirety.
Page 3 of 4
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HB NO. 265 ENROLLED
1 Section 4. This Act shall be cited and referred to as the "Jacob Carter Dignity in
2 Death Act".
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED:
Page 4 of 4
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.