HB399 • 2026

CRIMINAL/PROCEDURE: Provides relative to temporary release of inmates for limited purposes (EG SEE FISC NOTE GF EX)

Crime Healthcare

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Jerome Zeringue
Last action: 2026-05-29
Official status: Signed by the Speaker
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not specify who decides if an inmate can be temporarily released, only that the secretary may authorize such releases.

Temporary Release for Inmates with Terminal Illnesses

This bill changes the rules to allow inmates who have a terminal illness and are expected to die within one hundred twenty days to be temporarily released from prison for medical care.

What This Bill Does

Changes the law to let prisoners leave jail if they have a serious sickness that will likely end in death within 120 days.
Allows inmates who need hospital or nursing home care due to severe conditions like coma or mechanical ventilation to be temporarily released.

Who It Names or Affects

Inmates with terminal illnesses expected to die within 120 days
Prisoners needing hospital care due to severe conditions like coma or mechanical ventilation

Terms To Know

Terminal illness: A disease that cannot be cured and will lead to death.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify what happens if an inmate's condition changes after release.
It is unclear how many inmates will be eligible under these new rules.

Bill History

2026-05-29 H
Enrolled and signed by the Speaker of the House.
2026-05-28 H
Received from the Senate without amendments.
2026-05-28 S
Read by title, passed by a vote of 26 yeas and 7 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.
2026-05-28 S
Called from the Calendar.
2026-05-12 S
Read by title and returned to the Calendar, subject to call.
2026-05-12 S
Rules suspended.
2026-05-04 S
Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments. Read by title and passed to third reading and final passage.
2026-04-29 S
Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.
2026-04-28 S
Reported favorably.
2026-04-15 S
Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Judiciary B.
2026-04-14 S
Received in the Senate. Rules suspended. Read first time by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.
2026-04-14 H
Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 83, nays 12. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.
2026-04-14 H
Called from the calendar.
2026-04-08 H
Scheduled for floor debate on 04/14/2026.
2026-04-08 H
Notice given.
2026-04-08 H
Read by title, returned to the calendar.
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.
2026-02-27 H
First appeared in the Interim Calendar on 2/27/2026.
2026-02-25 H
Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice.
2026-02-25 H
Prefiled.

Official Summary Text

CRIMINAL/PROCEDURE: Provides relative to temporary release of inmates for limited purposes (EG SEE FISC NOTE GF EX)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

ENROLLED
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 399
BY REPRESENTATIVES ZERINGUE AND CHASSION
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 15:833.2(A), relative to temporary release of an inmate for
3 limited purposes; to provide for the number of days in which death is expected for
4 purposes of authorizing temporary release; and to provide for related matters.
5 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
6 Section 1. R.S. 15:833.2(A) is hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows:
7 §833.2. Temporary release of inmate for limited purposes
8 A. Notwithstanding any other provisions of law to the contrary, the secretary
9 may authorize the temporary release of any inmate, except an inmate sentenced to
10 death, for palliative or medical care when an inmate is diagnosed with a terminal
11 illness, and death is expected within sixty one hundred twenty days or when an
12 inmate is to be confined to an acute care hospital or nursing home with a condition
13 that totally prevents mobility, including but not limited to prolonged coma or
14 mechanical ventilation.
15 * * *
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.