KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

Back to Louisiana

HB396 • 2026

EVIDENCE: Provides relative to the admissibility of autopsy photographs in criminal proceedings

EVIDENCE: Provides relative to the admissibility of autopsy photographs in criminal proceedings

Enacted

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

Sponsor
Dixon McMakin
Last action
2026-05-29
Official status
Signed by the Governor - Act 549
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and digest do not provide details on when or why autopsy photographs should be shown in court.

Autopsy Photos in Court

This act allows autopsy photographs to be used as evidence in criminal cases.

What This Bill Does

  • Photographs taken during an autopsy can now be shown and considered legal evidence in criminal trials.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People involved in criminal cases
  • Lawyers and judges who handle court cases

Terms To Know

Autopsy photographs
Photos taken during an examination of a dead body to find out how the person died.
Admissible evidence
Evidence that can be used in court because it follows legal rules.

Limits and Unknowns

  • Does not specify when or why autopsy photos should be shown.
  • It does not change how other types of evidence are treated.

Amendments

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

Adopted

Plain English: HCAHB396 4274 3746 HOUSE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by House Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice to Original House Bill No.

  • HCAHB396 4274 3746 HOUSE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by House Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice to Original House Bill No.
  • 396 by Representative McMakin 1 AMENDMENT NO.
  • 1 2 On page 1, line 3, delete "certain" 3 AMENDMENT NO.
  • 2 4 On page 1, delete lines 8 through 10 in their entirety and insert the following: 5 "Photographs taken during an autopsy are admissible in any criminal 6 proceeding." Page 1 of 1 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored are additions.
Draft

Plain English: HCAHB396 4274 2624 HOUSE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by House Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice to Original House Bill No.

  • HCAHB396 4274 2624 HOUSE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by House Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice to Original House Bill No.
  • 396 by Representative McMakin 1 AMENDMENT NO.
  • 1 2 On page 1, line 3, delete "certain" 3 AMENDMENT NO.
  • 2 4 On page 1, delete lines 8 through 10 in their entirety and insert the following: 5 "Photographs taken during an autopsy are admissible in any criminal 6 proceeding." Page 1 of 1 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored are additions.

Bill History

  1. 2026-05-29 H

    Effective date: 08/01/2026.

  2. 2026-05-29 H

    Signed by the Governor. Becomes Act No. 549.

  3. 2026-05-26 H

    Sent to the Governor for executive approval.

  4. 2026-05-25 S

    Signed by the President of the Senate.

  5. 2026-05-25 H

    Enrolled and signed by the Speaker of the House.

  6. 2026-05-25 H

    Received from the Senate without amendments.

  7. 2026-05-21 S

    Rules suspended. Read by title, passed by a vote of 27 yeas and 8 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

  8. 2026-05-14 S

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

  9. 2026-05-13 S

    Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.

  10. 2026-05-12 S

    Reported favorably.

  11. 2026-04-22 S

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

  12. 2026-04-21 S

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

  13. 2026-04-21 H

    Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 79, nays 16. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.

  14. 2026-04-20 H

    Scheduled for floor debate on 04/21/2026.

  15. 2026-04-15 H

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

  16. 2026-04-14 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. 2026-02-25 H

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

  20. 2026-02-25 H

    Prefiled.

Official Summary Text

EVIDENCE: Provides relative to the admissibility of autopsy photographs in criminal proceedings

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
ENROLLED
ACT No. 5492026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 396
BY REPRESENTATIVE MCMAKIN
1 AN ACT
2 To enact Code of Evidence Article 416, relative to autopsy photographs as evidence; to
3 provide for the admissibility of such evidence in criminal proceedings; and to
4 provide for related matters.
5 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
6 Section 1. Code of Evidence Article 416 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
7 Art. 416. Autopsy photographs
8 Photographs taken during an autopsy are admissible in any criminal
9 proceeding.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED:
Page 1 of 1
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.