HB568 • 2026

CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES: Provides relative to penalty enhancements for violations of drug free school zones (EN SEE FISC NOTE GF EX)

Crime Education

Enacted

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

Sponsor: Gabe Firment
Last action: 2026-05-22
Official status: Signed by the Governor - Act 305
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details about the exact amount of fine increases or length of jail sentences.

Penalty Enhancements for Drug-Free School Zones

This act increases penalties for drug violations within school zones and on school buses.

What This Bill Does

Adds a new section to the law that makes it illegal to use drugs in any form (smoking, vaping, etc.) near schools or on school property while violating provisions of R.S. 40:966 through 970.
Increases the punishment for breaking these rules by making the maximum fine higher and extending possible jail time up to one and a half times longer than usual unless an exception applies.
Ensures that sentences given under this law cannot be shortened through parole, probation, or suspension of sentence unless there's an exception.

Who It Names or Affects

People who break drug laws near schools or on school property will face stricter penalties.

Terms To Know

Drug-Free School Zone: An area around a school where it is illegal to use drugs in any form, including smoking and vaping while violating provisions of R.S. 40:966 through 970.
Penalty Enhancement: Making the punishment for breaking a law more severe than usual.

Limits and Unknowns

The act does not specify exactly how much the fines will increase or how long jail sentences might be.
It is unclear if there are any exceptions to the penalty enhancements beyond what is mentioned in the bill.

Amendments

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

House Floor Amendment #4289 Firment Adopted

Adopted

Plain English: HFAHB568 4825 4289 FOR OFFICE USE ONLY HOUSE FLOOR AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by Representative Firment to Engrossed House Bill No.

HFAHB568 4825 4289 FOR OFFICE USE ONLY HOUSE FLOOR AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by Representative Firment to Engrossed House Bill No.
568 by Representative Firment 1 AMENDMENT NO.
1 2 On page 1, at the end of line 17, change "E" to "D" Page 1 of 1 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored are additions.

Bill History

2026-05-22 H
Effective date: 08/01/2026.
2026-05-22 H
Signed by the Governor. Becomes Act No. 305.
2026-05-19 H
Sent to the Governor for executive approval.
2026-05-19 S
Signed by the President of the Senate.
2026-05-19 H
Enrolled and signed by the Speaker of the House.
2026-05-19 H
Received from the Senate without amendments.
2026-05-18 S
Rules suspended. Read by title, passed by a vote of 23 yeas and 10 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.
2026-05-07 S
Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments. Read by title and passed to third reading and final passage.
2026-05-06 S
Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.
2026-05-05 S
Rules suspended. Reported favorably.
2026-04-28 S
Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Judiciary B.
2026-04-27 S
Received in the Senate. Read first time by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.
2026-04-22 H
Read third time by title, amended, roll called on final passage, yeas 59, nays 34. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.
2026-04-21 H
Scheduled for floor debate on 04/22/2026.
2026-04-16 H
Read by title, ordered engrossed, passed to 3rd reading.
2026-04-15 H
Reported favorably (11-0).
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.
2026-02-26 H
Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice.
2026-02-26 H
Prefiled.

Official Summary Text

CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES: Provides relative to penalty enhancements for violations of drug free school zones (EN SEE FISC NOTE GF EX)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

ENROLLED
ACT No. 3052026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 568
BY REPRESENTATIVE FIRMENT
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 40:981.3(D) and to enact R.S. 40:981.3(A)(4) and (E), relative
3 to violations of drug free school zones; to provide for enhanced penalties for certain
4 violations; and to provide for related matters.
5 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
6 Section 1. R.S. 40:981.3(D) is hereby amended and reenacted and R.S.
7 40:981.3(A)(4) and (E) are hereby enacted to read as follows:
8 §981.3. Violation of Uniform Controlled Dangerous Substances Law; drug free
9 zone
10 A.
11 * * *
12 (4) Any person who violates a provision of R.S. 40:966 through 970 of the
13 Uniform Controlled Dangerous Substances Law while smoking, vaping, or otherwise
14 abusing such controlled dangerous substance while on any property used for school
15 purposes by any school, within two thousand feet of any such property, or while on
16 a school bus, shall, upon conviction, be punished in accordance with Subsection D
17 of this Section.
18 * * *
19 D.(1) Whoever Except as provided in Subsection E of this Section, whoever
20 violates a provision of this Section shall be punished by the imposition of the
21 maximum fine and be imprisoned for not more than one and one-half times the
22 longest term of imprisonment authorized by the applicable provisions of R.S. 40:966
23 through 970.
Page 1 of 2
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HB NO. 568 ENROLLED
1 (2) A Except as provided in Subsection E of this Section, a sentence imposed
2 for a violation of the provisions of this Section shall not be subject to parole,
3 probation, or suspension of sentence to the extent that the minimum sentence for a
4 violation of a felony provision of R.S. 40:966 through 970 is not subject to parole,
5 probation, or suspension of sentence.
6 E. Notwithstanding Subsection D of this Section, whoever violates a
7 provision of this Section by committing an act which also constitutes a violation of
8 R.S. 40:966(C)(2) shall be punished by imprisonment, with or without hard labor,
9 for not more than one year and may, in addition, be required to pay a fine of not
10 more than one thousand dollars.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED:
Page 2 of 2
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.