HB656 • 2026

CORRECTIONS: Creates a pilot program that provides certain DPS&C programming and services to inmates (EN SEE FISC NOTE GF EX)

Children Crime Education

Enacted

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

Sponsor: Marcus Bryant
Last action: 2026-06-02
Official status: Signed by the Governor - Act 663
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on the number of participants in the initial phase of the pilot program.

Pilot Program for Inmate Services

This act creates a pilot program that provides rehabilitation, mental health, and suicide prevention services to inmates in Louisiana.

What This Bill Does

Creates a new law allowing the Department of Public Safety and Corrections (DPS&C) to start a pilot program for inmate services.
Includes rehabilitation services like education and job training as part of the program.
Adds mental health services, suicide awareness, and prevention programs to the list of available services.
Allows inmates to attend these programs either in person or through video and audio connections.

Who It Names or Affects

Inmates sentenced to the Department of Public Safety and Corrections who are in the custody of the sheriff at a parish prison or jail.
Juvenile offenders.

Terms To Know

Pilot Program: A small-scale test run of a new program to see how well it works before making it bigger.
Department of Public Safety and Corrections (DPS&C): The government agency responsible for managing prisons, jails, and other correctional facilities in Louisiana.

Limits and Unknowns

The program will only start if there are enough funds available.
Details about the rules for running this pilot program have not been made yet.

Amendments

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

House Floor Amendment #4858 Bryant Adopted

Adopted

Plain English: HFAHB656 4274 4858 FOR OFFICE USE ONLY HOUSE FLOOR AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by Representative Bryant to Engrossed House Bill No.

HFAHB656 4274 4858 FOR OFFICE USE ONLY HOUSE FLOOR AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by Representative Bryant to Engrossed House Bill No.
656 by Representative Bryant 1 AMENDMENT NO.
1 2 On page 1, at the end of line 10, delete "and" and delete line 11 in its entirety and insert "the 3 Access to Programming Pilot Program, to be administered by inmates who are qualified and 4 approved by the department, for the purpose of making" Page 1 of 1 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored are additions.

Bill History

2026-06-02 H
Effective date: 08/01/2026.
2026-06-02 H
Signed by the Governor. Becomes Act No. 663.
2026-05-28 H
Sent to the Governor for executive approval.
2026-05-27 H
Enrolled and signed by the Speaker of the House.
2026-05-27 S
Signed by the President of the Senate.
2026-05-26 H
Received from the Senate without amendments.
2026-05-26 S
Rules suspended. Read by title, passed by a vote of 35 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.
2026-05-20 S
Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments. Read by title and passed to third reading and final passage.
2026-05-19 S
Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.
2026-05-18 S
Reported favorably.
2026-05-07 S
Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Judiciary B.
2026-05-06 S
Received in the Senate. Read first time by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.
2026-05-05 H
Read third time by title, amended, roll called on final passage, yeas 101, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.
2026-04-29 H
Scheduled for floor debate on 05/05/2026.
2026-04-29 H
Read by title, ordered engrossed, passed to 3rd reading.
2026-04-28 H
Reported favorably (9-0).
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.
2026-02-27 H
Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice.
2026-02-27 H
Prefiled.

Official Summary Text

CORRECTIONS: Creates a pilot program that provides certain DPS&C programming and services to inmates (EN SEE FISC NOTE GF EX)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

ENROLLED
ACT No. 6632026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 656
BY REPRESENTATIVES BRYANT, BAYHAM, BILLINGS, CARPENTER, WILFORD
CARTER, CHASSION, FREEMAN, FREIBERG, DANA HENRY, TRAVIS
JOHNSON, MARCELLE, MARTINEZ, MOORE, MURRAY, NEWELL,
TAYLOR, WALTERS, WILEY, AND YOUNG
1 AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 15:830.4, relative to programming for inmates; to provide for the
3 establishment of a pilot program; to provide for programming topics; to provide for
4 attendance and accessibility; to provide for duties of the Department of Public Safety
5 and Corrections; to provide for rulemaking; and to provide for related matters.
6 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
7 Section 1. R.S. 15:830.4 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
8 §830.4. Access to Programming Pilot Program; establishment
9 A. Subject to the availability of funds and appropriate resources, the
10 Department of Public Safety and Corrections is hereby authorized to establish the
11 Access to Programming Pilot Program, to be administered by inmates who are
12 qualified and approved by the department, for the purpose of making programming
13 available to all of the following:
14 (1) Juvenile offenders.
15 (2) Inmates sentenced to the Department of Public Safety and Corrections
16 who are in the custody of the sheriff at a parish prison or jail.
17 B. The programming shall include all of the following topics:
18 (1) Rehabilitation services that encompass educational and vocational
19 opportunities.
20 (2) Mental health services.
21 (3) Suicide awareness and prevention.
22 C. The department shall provide attendance options as follows:
23 (1) Through simultaneous audio-visual transmission for juveniles housed in
24 juvenile facilities.
Page 1 of 2
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HB NO. 656 ENROLLED
1 (2) In-person or through simultaneous audio-visual transmission for inmates
2 housed in parish prisons or jails.
3 D. The Department of Public Safety and Corrections shall adopt rules and
4 regulations in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act to implement the
5 provisions of this Section.
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.