HB726 • 2026

BOATS/SHIPS/VESSELS: Increases fines for abandoning vessels

Enacted

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

Sponsor: Jessica Domangue
Last action: 2026-06-02
Official status: Signed by the Governor - Act 667
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material did not provide specific details on enforcement mechanisms or the practical impact of the increased penalties.

Increasing Fines for Abandoning Boats and Vessels

This act doubles the fines for people who abandon boats or other vessels in Louisiana.

What This Bill Does

Changes the law to make abandoning a boat or vessel more expensive by doubling the penalties.
Applies to any person who intentionally leaves a boat or vessel without permission.

Who It Names or Affects

People who abandon boats or vessels in Louisiana will face higher fines.

Terms To Know

gross littering: Serious illegal dumping of items like furniture, tires, and boats.

Limits and Unknowns

The act does not specify how the increased penalties will be enforced.
It is unclear if this change will reduce boat abandonment in practice.

Bill History

2026-06-02 H
Effective date: 08/01/2026.
2026-06-02 H
Signed by the Governor. Becomes Act No. 667.
2026-05-28 H
Sent to the Governor for executive approval.
2026-05-27 S
Signed by the President of the Senate.
2026-05-27 H
Enrolled and signed by the Speaker of the House.
2026-05-26 H
Received from the Senate without amendments.
2026-05-26 S
Read by title, passed by a vote of 38 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.
2026-05-26 S
Rules suspended. Called from the Calendar.
2026-05-05 S
Read by title and returned to the Calendar, subject to call.
2026-04-21 S
Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments. Read by title and passed to third reading and final passage.
2026-04-20 S
Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.
2026-04-15 S
Reported favorably.
2026-03-31 S
Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Natural Resources.
2026-03-30 S
Received in the Senate. Rules suspended. Read first time by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.
2026-03-30 H
Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 101, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.
2026-03-26 H
Scheduled for floor debate on 03/30/2026.
2026-03-25 H
Read by title, ordered engrossed, passed to 3rd reading.
2026-03-24 H
Reported favorably (10-0).
2026-03-09 H
Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Natural Resources and Environment.
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 Natural Resources and Environment.
2026-02-27 H
Prefiled.

Official Summary Text

BOATS/SHIPS/VESSELS: Increases fines for abandoning vessels

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

ENROLLED
ACT No. 6672026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 726
BY REPRESENTATIVES DOMANGUE, BAYHAM, BERAULT, BRASS, BUTLER,
CARRIER, CARVER, COX, DEVILLIER, EGAN, FREIBERG, GLORIOSO,
JACOB LANDRY, MARTINEZ, MCMAKIN, SAWYER, WALTERS, WYBLE,
AND ZERINGUE
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 30:2531.1(A), relative to littering by abandoning a vessel; to
3 double the penalty for any person found guilty of gross littering by abandoning a
4 boat or other vessel; and to provide for related matters.
5 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
6 Section 1. R.S. 30:2531.1(A) is hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows:
7 §2531.1. Gross littering prohibited; criminal penalties; indemnification
8 A.(1) No person shall intentionally dispose or permit the disposal of any
9 household or office furniture or appliances, automotive parts, including but not
10 limited to tires and engines, trailers, boats and boating accessories, tools and
11 equipment, building materials, roofing nails, and bags or boxes of household or
12 office garbage or refuse upon any public place in the state, upon private property in
13 this state not owned by him, upon property located in rural areas in this state not
14 owned by him, or in or on the waters of this state, whether from a vehicle or
15 otherwise, including but not limited to any public highway, public right-of-way,
16 public park, beach, campground, forest land, recreational area, trailer park, highway,
17 road, street, or alley, except when such property is designated by the state or by any
18 of its agencies or political subdivisions for the disposal of such items and such
19 person is authorized to use such property for such purpose.
Page 1 of 2
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HB NO. 726 ENROLLED
1 (2) Any person who intentionally abandons a boat or other vessel shall be
2 subject to double the penalties provided for violations under this Section.
3 * * *
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.