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HLS 26RS-681 ORIGINAL
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 85
BY REPRESENTATIVE BAYHAM
CRIME/FELONIES: Creates a statewide registry for individuals convicted of certain felony
offenses involving animals
1 AN ACT
2 To enact Chapter 3-H of Title 15 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, to be comprised
3 of R.S. 15:564 through 564.2, relative to reporting requirements of persons convicted
4 of certain felony offenses against animals; to provide for registration; to provide
5 relative to the duty of offenders to notify law enforcement; to provide relative to the
6 failure to register; to provide relative to the duration of registration requirements; and
7 to provide for related matters.
8 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
9 Section 1. Chapter 3-H of Title 15 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950,
10 comprised of R.S. 15:564 through 564.2, is hereby enacted to read as follows:
11 CHAPTER 3-H. ANIMAL ABUSE AND NEGLECT REGISTRY
12 §564. Registration of persons convicted of felony offenses involving the abuse,
13 cruelty, or death of an animal
14 A. Any person residing in this state who has been convicted of the
15 commission or conspiracy to commit, or pled guilty or nolo contendere to the
16 commission or conspiracy to commit, any of the following felony offenses shall be
17 required to register and provide notification in accordance with the provisions of this
18 Chapter:
19 (1) R.S. 14:89.3 (Sexual abuse of an animal)
20 (2) R.S. 14:89.6 (Human-animal hybrids)
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1 (3) R.S. 14:102.1 (Cruelty to animals; simple and aggravated)
2 (4) R.S. 14:102.5 (Dogfighting; training and possession of dogs for fighting)
3 (5) R.S. 14:102.8 (Injuring or killing of a police animal)
4 (6) R.S. 14:102.23 (Cockfighting)
5 B.(1) The court shall provide written notification to any person who is
6 convicted of a felony offense listed in Subsection A of this Section and the offender
7 shall register on the Animal Abuse and Neglect Registry upon release, or as a
8 condition of his probation or parole.
9 (2) An offender who is required to register pursuant to this Section shall
10 register in person with the sheriff of the parish of the person's residence, or
11 residences, if there is more than one, and with the chief of police if the address of
12 any of the person's residences is located in an incorporated area which has a police
13 department. If the offender resides in a municipality with a population in excess of
14 three hundred thousand persons, the offender shall register in person with the police
15 department of his municipality of residence.
16 C.(1) No later than three business days after release, an offender who is
17 required to register shall register and provide all of the following information to the
18 appropriate law enforcement agencies listed in Subsection B of this Section:
19 (a) Name and any aliases used by the offender.
20 (b) The offender's physical address or addresses of residence.
21 (c) Name and physical address of the offender's place of employment. If the
22 offender does not have a fixed place of employment, the offender shall provide
23 information with as much specificity as possible regarding the places where he
24 works, including but not limited to travel routes used by the offender.
25 (d) Name and physical address of the school in which he is a student.
26 (e) Two forms of proof of residence for each residential address provided,
27 including but not limited to a driver's license, bill for utility service, and bill for
28 telephone service. If those forms of proof of residence are not available, the offender
29 may provide an affidavit of an adult resident living at the same address. The
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1 affidavit shall certify that the affiant understands his obligation to provide written
2 notice in the same manner as provided in R.S. 15:542.1.4(B) to the appropriate law
3 enforcement agency with whom the offender last registered when the offender no
4 longer resides at the residence provided in the affidavit.
5 (f) The crime for which the offender was convicted and the date and place
6 of such conviction, and if known by the offender, the court in which the conviction
7 was obtained, the docket number of the case, the specific statute under which he was
8 convicted, and the sentence imposed.
9 (g) A current photograph of the offender.
10 (h) The offender's telephone numbers, including fixed location phone and
11 mobile phone numbers assigned to the offender or associated with any residence
12 address of the offender.
13 (i) A description of every motorized vehicle registered to or operated by the
14 offender, including license plate number and vehicle identification number, and a
15 copy of the offender's driver's license or identification card. This information shall
16 be provided prior to the offender's operation of the vehicle.
17 (j) The offender's social security number and date of birth.
18 (k) A description of the physical characteristics of the offender, including but
19 not limited to sex, race, hair color, eye color, height, age, weight, scars, tattoos, or
20 other identifying marks on the body of the offender.
21 (l) Every email address of the offender.
22 (2)(a)(i) Failure to register as required in Paragraph (1) of this Subsection
23 constitutes a violation of this Chapter.
24 (ii) Knowingly providing false information to any law enforcement officer,
25 office, or agency required to receive registration information pursuant to the
26 provisions of this Chapter constitutes a failure to register.
27 (b) Upon conviction, the offender shall be fined not more than one thousand
28 dollars and imprisoned for not more than one year with or without hard labor.
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1 D. Upon receipt of the registration information as prescribed by the
2 provisions of this Section, the law enforcement agency shall, by electronic means,
3 immediately forward the offender's information to the Louisiana Bureau of Criminal
4 Identification and Information.
5 E. The offender's registration and notification requirements pursuant to this
6 Chapter are mandatory and shall not be waived or suspended by any court. Any
7 order waiving or suspending offender registration and notification requirements shall
8 be null, void, and of no effect. Any order waiving or suspending registration and
9 notification requirements shall not be construed to invalidate an otherwise valid
10 conviction, unless by joint written motion of the district attorney and the offender.
11 §564.1. Duties of the Louisiana Bureau of Criminal Identification and Information
12 A.(1) The Louisiana Bureau of Criminal Identification and Information shall
13 develop and maintain the central registry known as the Animal Abuse and Neglect
14 Registry. The registry shall contain the information transmitted to the bureau
15 pursuant to the provisions of this Chapter. Upon receipt of the registration and
16 information of any person subject to the provisions of this Chapter, the bureau shall
17 immediately enter the appropriate information in the public registry. The bureau
18 shall accept electronically submitted information and registration renewal
19 information that is received from law enforcement.
20 (2)(a) The bureau shall provide for public access to the information
21 contained in the registry, including internet-based access, which shall have field-
22 search capabilities.
23 (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph,
24 the following information is exempt from public access:
25 (i) Social security numbers.
26 (ii) Telephone numbers, subject to the provisions of Subparagraphs (c) and
27 (d) of this Paragraph.
28 (iii) Email addresses.
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1 (c) Notwithstanding the provisions of Subparagraph (b) of this Paragraph,
2 the registry shall contain the ability to search by telephone numbers, email addresses,
3 online screen names, or other online identities to provide information to the person
4 conducting the search regarding whether or not that information has been linked to
5 a person convicted of an offense that requires registration pursuant to R.S.
6 15:564(A). This search shall not disclose the name or any other identifying
7 information about the offender to the person conducting the search, except to identify
8 that the information has been linked to a person convicted of an offense that requires
9 registration pursuant to R.S. 15:564(A).
10 (d) Notwithstanding the provisions of Subparagraphs (b) and (c) of this
11 Paragraph, the bureau shall, upon request by any person or entity in a manner
12 prescribed by the bureau, provide a list of telephone numbers, email addresses,
13 online screen names, static internet protocol addresses, or other online identities of
14 persons in the Animal Abuse and Neglect Registry for the purpose of identifying and
15 monitoring a registered user associated with the telephone number, email address,
16 online screen name, static internet protocol address, or other online identity. The
17 information provided to the person or entity shall not disclose the name or other
18 identifying information of the offender that is associated with, or who is using, any
19 of the telephone numbers, email addresses, online screen names, static internet
20 protocol addresses, or other online identities in the provided list.
21 (e) The bureau shall maintain an Animal Abuse and Neglect Notification and
22 Registration website on the internet, which shall contain a disclaimer informing the
23 public of all of the following:
24 (i) The information contained on the site is obtained from offenders, and the
25 bureau does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
26 (ii) Members of the public shall not use the information to harass or threaten
27 offenders or members of their families.
28 (iii) Harassment, stalking, or threats against offenders or their families are
29 prohibited and are violations of Louisiana criminal laws.
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1 B. The bureau shall develop and maintain the registry as to provide for
2 automatic email notifications at the time when an offender begins residence,
3 employment, or school attendance within a certain geographic radius or zip code.
4 This function of the registry shall allow members of the public and organizations to
5 request automatic email notifications to be sent to an email address provided by the
6 requestor for a certain geographic radius or zip code specified by the requestor.
7 C. The bureau is hereby designated as the state agency to receive information
8 regarding an out-of-state person who establishes a residence in this state pursuant to
9 R.S. 15:542.1.3 and has been convicted of a similar offense as those that require
10 registration pursuant to R.S. 15:564(A).
11 D. The bureau may promulgate rules and regulations in accordance with the
12 Administrative Procedure Act to implement the provisions of this Chapter.
13 E.(1) The bureau shall provide the capability for a social networking website
14 to compare the database of registered users of that social networking website to the
15 list of email addresses, instant message addresses, and other similar online identifiers
16 of persons in the Animal Abuse and Neglect Registry.
17 (2) An entity operating a social networking website that compares its
18 database of registered users to the list of email addresses, instant message addresses,
19 and other online identifiers of persons in the registry shall first provide to the bureau
20 all of the following information:
21 (a) The name, address, and telephone number of the entity operating the
22 social networking website.
23 (b) The legal nature and corporate status of the entity operating the social
24 networking website.
25 (c) A statement signed by the chief legal officer of the social networking
26 website to the effect that the information obtained from the registry shall not be
27 disclosed for any purpose other than for comparing the database of registered users
28 of the social networking website against the list of email addresses, instant message
29 addresses, and other online identifiers of persons contained in the state registry to
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1 protect animals from abuse or neglect, and that disclosure of this information for any
2 other purpose may be unlawful.
3 (d) The name, address, and telephone number of a natural person who is
4 authorized to receive service of process for the entity operating the social networking
5 website.
6 (3) After complying with the requirements of Paragraph (2) of this
7 Subsection, the entity operating the social networking website may screen users or
8 compare its database of registered users to the list of email addresses, instant
9 message addresses, and other online identifiers of persons contained in the Animal
10 Abuse or Neglect Registry as frequently as the bureau allows for the purpose of
11 identifying, monitoring, or removing a registered user associated with electronic mail
12 addresses, instant message addresses, and other online identifiers contained in the
13 registry.
14 (4) An entity operating a social networking website which complies with the
15 provisions of Paragraphs (2) and (3) of this Subsection and its directors, officers,
16 employees, or agents may claim such compliance as a defense to a claim for liability
17 arising against the entity or those persons.
18 §564.2. Duration of registration and notification period
19 A person required to register pursuant to the provisions of this Chapter shall
20 comply with this requirement and keep current his registration information for one
21 year from the date of initial registration in this state for a first offense and ten years
22 for a second or subsequent offense, unless the underlying conviction is reversed, set
23 aside, or vacated.
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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 85 Original 2026 Regular Session Bayham
Abstract: Requires a person who is convicted of certain felony offenses involving animals
to register with local law enforcement agencies.
Proposed law creates the Animal Abuse and Neglect Registry and requires the registration
of any person residing in this state who has been convicted of the commission or conspiracy
to commit, or pled guilty or nolo contendere to the commission or conspiracy to commit any
of the following felony offenses:
(1) R.S. 14:89.3 (Sexual abuse of an animal)
(2) R.S. 14:89.6 (Human-animal hybrids)
(3) R.S. 14:102.1 (Cruelty to animals; simple and aggravated)
(4) R.S. 14:102.5 (Dogfighting; training and possession of dogs for fighting)
(5) R.S. 14:102.8 (Injuring or killing of a police animal)
(6) R.S. 14:102.23 (Cockfighting)
Proposed law requires the court to provide written notification to the offender of his
obligation to register upon release, or as a condition of his probation or parole.
Proposed law requires the offender to register with the appropriate law enforcement agency
and provides for the information required for registration.
Proposed law provides that an offender who fails to register shall be fined not more than
$1,000 and imprisoned for not more than one year with or without hard labor.
Proposed law requires the appropriate law enforcement agency to immediately forward the
offender's information electronically to the La. Bureau of Criminal Identification and
Information.
Proposed law provides that the offender registration and notification requirements required
by proposed law are mandatory and shall not be waived or suspended by any court. Further
provides that any order waiving or suspending registration and notification requirements
shall not be construed to invalidate an otherwise valid conviction, unless by joint written
motion of the district attorney and the offender.
Proposed law provides for the duties of the La. Bureau of Criminal Identification and
Information as follows:
(1) Maintaining the central registry known as the Animal Abuse and Neglect Registry
and entering the appropriate information in the registry.
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(2) Providing public access to the information contained in the registry, including
internet-based access, with field-search capabilities and exemptions for particular
information.
(3) Providing for automatic email notifications at the time when an offender begins
residence, employment, or school attendance within a certain geographic radius or
zip code.
(4) Receiving information regarding an out-of-state person convicted of a similar
offense as those provided in proposed law who establishes a residence in this state
pursuant to present law (R.S. 15:542.1.3).
(5) Promulgating rules and regulations in accordance with the APA to implement the
provisions of proposed law.
(6) Providing a social networking website with the capability of comparing its database
of registered users to the list of email addresses, instant message addresses, and other
similar online identifiers of persons in the registry.
Proposed law provides for the following registration periods:
(1) One year from the date of initial registration for a first offense.
(2) 10 years for a second or subsequent offense.
Proposed law provides an exception to these registration periods if the underlying conviction
is reversed, set aside, or vacated.
(Adds R.S. 15:564-564.2)
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