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HB289 • 2026

CRIMINAL/SENTENCING: Provides relative to the time period between conviction and sentence (EGF DECREASE LF EX See Note)

CRIMINAL/SENTENCING: Provides relative to the time period between conviction and sentence (EGF DECREASE LF EX See Note)

Crime
Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Peter Egan
Last action
2026-05-29
Official status
Adopted in House concurrence
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide detailed information on what happens if a defendant does not waive the delay or how this affects other aspects of Louisiana's criminal procedure code beyond the specified changes.

Law on Time Between Conviction and Sentence

This bill changes the time requirements between when someone is found guilty of a serious crime and when they receive their punishment, specifically removing the requirement for a 24-hour delay after certain motions are denied.

What This Bill Does

  • Removes the requirement for a 24-hour delay before sentencing if a motion for a new trial or arrest of judgment is denied.
  • Keeps the rule that at least three days must pass between conviction and sentence for felonies unless waived by the defendant or if they plead guilty.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People convicted of serious crimes (felonies) in Louisiana
  • Courts that handle felony cases

Terms To Know

Felony
A serious crime, like murder or robbery.
Sentence
The punishment given to someone who is found guilty of a crime.

Limits and Unknowns

  • Does not specify what happens if the defendant does not waive the delay.
  • Does not change other parts of Louisiana's criminal procedure code.

Amendments

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

Plain English: The amendment removes the requirement for a 24-hour waiting period before sentencing can be imposed after a motion for a new trial or to arrest judgment is overruled.

  • Removes the 24-hour time period that must pass between when a motion for a new trial or in arrest of judgment is denied and when a sentence can be given.
  • The amendment text does not specify how courts will handle cases where such motions are made, only removing the waiting period requirement.
  • Technical changes mentioned in the summary are not detailed enough to explain further.

Plain English: The amendment to HB289 is about agreeing with changes made by the Senate regarding the time between a criminal conviction and sentencing.

  • The House agrees to adopt amendments made by the Senate concerning the period between conviction and sentence in criminal cases.
  • The official text does not provide specific details about what these Senate amendments entail, only that the House is voting to concur with them.

Bill History

  1. 2026-05-29 H

    Read by title, roll called, yeas 97, nays 0, Senate amendments concurred in.

  2. 2026-05-29 H

    Called from the calendar.

  3. 2026-05-29 H

    Read by title, returned to the calendar.

  4. 2026-05-27 H

    Scheduled for concurrence on 05/29/2026.

  5. 2026-05-26 H

    Received from the Senate with amendments.

  6. 2026-05-26 S

    Rules suspended. Senate floor amendments read and adopted. Read by title, passed by a vote of 36 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

  7. 2026-05-21 S

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

  8. 2026-05-20 S

    Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.

  9. 2026-05-19 S

    Reported favorably.

  10. 2026-04-08 S

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

  11. 2026-04-07 S

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

  12. 2026-04-01 H

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

  13. 2026-04-01 H

    Called from the calendar.

  14. 2026-03-25 H

    Scheduled for floor debate on 04/01/2026.

  15. 2026-03-25 H

    Notice given.

  16. 2026-03-25 H

    Read by title, returned to the calendar.

  17. 2026-03-23 H

    Scheduled for floor debate on 03/25/2026.

  18. 2026-03-23 H

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

  19. 2026-03-18 H

    Reported favorably (9-0).

  20. 2026-03-09 H

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

  21. 2026-02-27 H

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

  22. 2026-02-24 H

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

  23. 2026-02-24 H

    Prefiled.

Official Summary Text

CRIMINAL/SENTENCING: Provides relative to the time period between conviction and sentence (EGF DECREASE LF EX See Note)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
HLS 26RS-1053 ENGROSSED
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 289
BY REPRESENTATIVE EGAN
CRIMINAL/SENTENCING: Provides relative to the time period between conviction and
sentence
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact Code of Criminal Procedure Article 873, relative to sentencing; to
3 provide relative to the imposition of sentence in certain circumstances; and to
4 provide for related matters.
5 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
6 Section 1. Code of Criminal Procedure Article 873 is hereby amended and reenacted
7 to read as follows:
8 Art. 873. Delay between conviction and sentence
9 If a defendant is convicted of a felony, at least three days shall elapse
10 between conviction and sentence. If a motion for a new trial, or in arrest of
11 judgment, is filed, sentence shall not be imposed until at least twenty-four hours after
12 the motion is overruled. If the defendant expressly waives a delay provided for in
13 this article Article or pleads guilty, sentence may be imposed immediately.
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 289 Engrossed 2026 Regular Session Egan
Abstract: Provides relative to the time period between conviction and sentencing.
Present law provides that if a defendant is convicted of a felony, at least three days shall
elapse between conviction and sentence.
Page 1 of 2
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HLS 26RS-1053 ENGROSSED
HB NO. 289
Proposed law retains present law.
Present law provides that if a motion for a new trial or in arrest of judgment is filed, the
sentence shall not be imposed until at least 24 hours after the motion is overruled.
Proposed law amends present law to remove the 24-hour time period that is required for
imposition of sentence after the motion is overruled. Otherwise retains present law.
(Amends C.Cr.P. Art. 873)
Page 2 of 2
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.