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HLS 26RS-305 ORIGINAL
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 684
BY REPRESENTATIVE MENA
JUVENILES: Provides a diversion program for juveniles stopped or detained for
misdemeanor offenses
1 AN ACT
2 To enact Part V-C of Title 15 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, to be comprised
3 of R.S. 15:960 through 964, relative to juveniles; to provide for definitions; to
4 provide for a pre-arrest diversion program; to provide for duties of law enforcement;
5 to provide for exceptions; to provide for the submission of an annual report; to
6 provide for rulemaking; to provide for an effective date; and to provide for related
7 matters.
8 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
9 Section 1. Part V-C of Title 15 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, comprised
10 of R.S. 15:960 through 964, is hereby enacted to read as follows:
11 PART V-C. YOUTH CONTACT REDUCTION AND DIVERSION
12 §960. Short title
13 This Part shall be referred to and may be cited as the "Youth Contact
14 Reduction and Diversion Act".
15 §961. Definitions
16 For the purposes of this Part, the following terms have the following
17 meanings:
18 (1) "Juvenile" means a person under the age of eighteen.
19 (2) "Pre-arrest diversion program" means access to mental health or
20 substance abuse services offered through a licensed healthcare provider, hospital,
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HLS 26RS-305 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 684
1 crisis receiving center, licensed clinical social worker, regional human services
2 district, or any other local governmental entity, district, or authority. It also means
3 access to resources that include but are not limited to the opportunity for the juvenile
4 to address or engage with the victim, restitution agreements, and educational or
5 family support.
6 §962. Mandatory pre-arrest diversion program
7 A.(1) When a peace officer stops or detains a juvenile and has reasonable
8 grounds to believe that the juvenile has committed a first-time, nonviolent
9 misdemeanor-grade delinquent act, the officer shall issue the juvenile a civil citation
10 and an opportunity to participate in a pre-arrest diversion program.
11 (2) The provisions of this Subsection do not apply if the officer determines
12 that any of the following circumstances are present:
13 (a) The juvenile poses an immediate danger of imminent death or serious
14 bodily injury to himself, the officer, or any member of the public.
15 (b) The juvenile is in possession of, uses, or threatens to use a deadly
16 weapon.
17 B. A civil citation that is issued pursuant to this Section shall be resolved
18 within ninety days and shall not be considered any of the following:
19 (1) An arrest as defined in Code of Criminal Procedure Article 201.
20 (2) A summons as defined in Code of Criminal Procedure Article 208.
21 (3) A delinquency adjudication or a criminal conviction.
22 (4) Data or information for the purposes of submission to any criminal
23 database.
24 C. No fines, fees, or court costs shall be assessed against a juvenile who has
25 been referred to a pre-arrest diversion program.
26 §963. Reporting
27 All law enforcement agencies shall submit a report the legislature with annual
28 data on juvenile stops or detentions, citations, arrests, demographics, tract location,
29 completion rates, and recidivism.
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HLS 26RS-305 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 684
1 §964. Rulemaking
2 The Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement and Administration of
3 Criminal Justice and the Louisiana Department of Health shall promulgate and adopt
4 all rules and regulations in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act as may
5 be necessary to implement the provisions of this Part.
6 Section 2. The report prescribed in R.S. 15:963 as enacted by Section 1 of this Act
7 shall be submitted no later than December 31, 2027, and annually thereafter.
8 Section 3. The administrative regulations required by R.S. 15:964 as enacted by
9 Section 1 of this Act shall be promulgated and adopted no later than December 31, 2026.
10 Section 4. This Act shall become effective on January 1, 2027.
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 684 Original 2026 Regular Session Mena
Abstract: Creates a diversion program for juveniles stopped or detained for misdemeanor
offenses.
Proposed law may be referred to and cited as the "Youth Contact Reduction and Diversion
Act".
Proposed law defines the terms "juvenile" and "pre-arrest diversion program".
Proposed law requires a peace officer to issue a juvenile a civil citation and an opportunity
to participate in a pre-arrest diversion program when that officer stops or detains a juvenile
with reasonable grounds to believe that the juvenile has committed a first-time offense that
is a nonviolent misdemeanor-grade delinquent act.
Proposed law provides for exceptions.
Proposed law provides for a resolution of the civil citation within 90 days and provides that
the civil citation does not constitute certain records or data.
Proposed law prohibits the assessment of any fines, fees, or court costs against a juvenile
who has been referred to a pre-arrest diversion program.
Proposed law provides for the submission of an annual report to the legislature with annual
data on juvenile stops or detentions, citations, arrests, demographics, tract location,
completion rates, and recidivism.
Proposed law requires the La. Commission on Law Enforcement (LCLE) and the La. Dept.
of Health (LDH) to promulgate and adopt all rules and regulations as may be necessary to
implement the provisions of proposed law no later than Dec. 31, 2026.
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HLS 26RS-305 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 684
Effective on Jan. 1, 2027.
(Adds R.S. 15:960-964)
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.