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HLS 26RS-1818 ENGROSSED
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 985
BY REPRESENTATIVE DICKERSON
SEX OFFENSE/REGISTRY: Provides relative to identification procedures for sex
offenders
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 32:412(I) and R.S. 40:1321(J), relative to sex offenders; to
3 provide relative to identification procedures for sex offenders; to provide relative to
4 duties of sex offenders; to provide for an effective date; and to provide for related
5 matters.
6 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
7 Section 1. R.S. 32:412(I) is hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows:
8 §412. Amount of fees; credit or refund; duration of license; veteran designation;
9 special needs or accommodation designations; disbursement of funds;
10 renewal by mail or electronic commerce of Class "D" or "E" drivers' licenses;
11 disposition of certain fees; exception
12 * * *
13 I.(1) The A Louisiana driver's license, regardless of its class, that is issued
14 to any person who is required to register as a sex offender pursuant to R.S. 15:542
15 and R.S. 15:542.1 Chapter 3-B of Title 15 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950
16 shall contain a restriction quick response code which declares that or a QR code on
17 the back of the driver's license for the purposes of assisting law enforcement in
18 determining whether or not the license holder is a sex offender. The secretary of the
19 Department of Public Safety and Corrections shall comply with the provisions of this
20 Subsection and the driver's license shall include the words "sex offender" which shall
21 be orange in color.
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HLS 26RS-1818 ENGROSSED
HB NO. 985
1 (2) Any person to whom this Subsection applies shall carry upon his person
2 the last driver's license issued to him. A person who is issued a driver's license
3 pursuant to this Subsection shall carry his driver's license on his person at all times
4 when he is outside of his residence.
5 (3) The department shall issue a license required pursuant to this Subsection
6 for a period of one year. When the department issues a license pursuant to this
7 Subsection and the license shall be valid for a period of one year from the date of
8 issuance.
9 (4) Any person to whom who is subject to this Subsection applies shall
10 personally appear at a motor vehicle field office to renew his driver's license every
11 year, in addition to the yearly reregistration that is required pursuant to R.S. 15:542
12 et seq Chapter 3-B of Title 15 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950.
13 Reregistration shall include the submission of current information to the department
14 and the verification of registration information, including the street address and
15 telephone number of the registrant; name, street address, and telephone number of
16 the registrant's employer, and any other registration information that may need to be
17 verified. Upon successful completion of reregistration, the bureau shall
18 electronically transmit this fact the completed reregistration to the office of motor
19 vehicles which may then proceed to renew the driver's license. In order to reimburse
20 the office of motor vehicles for the cost of a yearly issuance, the regular renewal fee
21 shall be collected at each renewal pursuant to this Subsection.
22 (5) Whoever intentionally fails to meet the requirements of this Subsection
23 shall be fined not less than one hundred dollars nor more than five hundred dollars
24 or imprisoned for not more than six months, or both.
25 (5) (6) The provisions of this This Subsection shall apply applies to all
26 registered sex offenders regardless of the date of conviction. A registered sex
27 offender who has been issued a driver's license pursuant to this Subsection shall
28 forfeit his driver's license to the office of motor vehicles if he subsequently obtains
29 a special identification card pursuant to R.S. 40:1321(J).
30 * * *
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HLS 26RS-1818 ENGROSSED
HB NO. 985
1 Section 2. R.S. 40:1321(J) is hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows:
2 §1321. State identification cards; special identification cards; issuance; veteran
3 designation; special needs or accommodation designations; fees; expiration
4 and renewal; exceptions; promulgation of rules; promotion of use; persons
5 less than twenty-one years of age; the Protect and Save our Children
6 Program; Selective Service Registration
7 * * *
8 J.(1) Any person required to register as a sex offender with the Louisiana
9 Bureau of Criminal Identification and Information, as required by R.S. 15:542 et
10 seq., pursuant to Chapter 3-B of Title 15 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950
11 shall obtain a special identification card issued by the Department of Public Safety
12 and Corrections which shall contain a restriction quick response code declaring that,
13 or QR Code, on the back of the special identification card for the purposes of
14 assisting law enforcement in determining whether or not the holder is a sex offender.
15 This special identification card shall include the words "sex offender" in all capital
16 letters which are orange in color and shall be is valid for a period of one year from
17 the date of issuance. This special identification card shall be carried on the person
18 and the holder shall carry the special identification card on his person at all times by
19 the individual required to register as a sex offender when he is outside of his
20 residence.
21 (2) Each person required to carry a special identification card pursuant to this
22 Subsection shall personally appear, annually, on an annual basis at a field office of
23 the office of motor vehicles to renew his or her special identification card but only
24 after he or she has registered as an a sex offender pursuant to R.S. 15:542 et seq.
25 Chapter 3-B of Title 15 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950. Reregistration
26 shall include includes the submission of current information to the department and
27 the verification of this information, which shall include includes the street address
28 and telephone number of the registrant; the name, street address, and telephone
29 number of the registrant's employer, and any registration information that may need
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HLS 26RS-1818 ENGROSSED
HB NO. 985
1 to be verified by the bureau. No special identification card shall be issued or
2 renewed until the office of motor vehicles receives confirmation from the bureau The
3 office of motor vehicles shall not issue or renew a special identification card until the
4 bureau has confirmed to the office, electronically or by other means, that the
5 reregistration of the sex offender has been completed.
6 (3) The provisions of this This Subsection shall apply applies to all sex
7 offenders who are required to register pursuant to R.S. 15:542 et seq. Chapter 3-B
8 of Title 15 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, regardless of the date of
9 conviction.
10 (4) Whoever violates intentionally fails to meet the requirements of this
11 Subsection shall be fined not less than one hundred dollars and not nor more than
12 five hundred dollars, or imprisoned for not more than six months, or both.
13 (5) A registered sex offender who has been issued a special identification
14 card pursuant to this Subsection shall forfeit his special identification card to the
15 office of motor vehicles if he subsequently obtains a driver's license pursuant to R.S.
16 32:412(I).
17 * * *
18 Section 3. 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 985 Engrossed 2026 Regular Session Dickerson
Abstract: Provides relative to driver's licenses and special identification cards applicable
sex offenders.
Present law (R.S. 32:412) provides relative to driver's licenses applicable to the general
public of the state of La.
Proposed law generally retains present law.
Present law (R.S. 32:412(I)) provides for procedures, guidelines, requirements, penalties,
and applicability associated with the issuance of driver's licenses to registered sex offenders.
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HLS 26RS-1818 ENGROSSED
HB NO. 985
Proposed law amends present law as follows:
(1) Provides for the placement of a QR code, rather than a restriction code, on the back
of the driver's license of a sex offender for the purposes of assisting law enforcement
in determining whether or not the license holder is a sex offender.
(2) Removes the present law requirement for placement of the words "sex offender" in
orange color on the driver's license.
(3) Requires a registered sex offender to carry his driver's license that is issued pursuant
to present law on his person at all times when he is outside of his residence.
(4) Provides for a penalty consisting of a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $500
or imprisonment for a maximum of six months for a person who intentionally fails
to meet the requirements of present law.
(5) Requires a registered sex offender who has been issued a driver's license pursuant
to present law to forfeit his driver's license to the office of motor vehicles (OMV) if
he subsequently obtains a special ID card pursuant to present law (R.S. 40:1321(J)).
Present law (R.S. 40:1321) provides relative to special ID cards applicable to the general
public of the state of La.
Proposed law generally retains present law.
Present law (R.S. 40:1321(J)) provides for procedures, guidelines, requirements, penalties,
and applicability associated with the issuance of special ID cards to registered sex offenders.
Proposed law amends present law as follows:
(1) Provides for the placement of a QR code, rather than a restriction code, on the back
of the special ID of a sex offender for the purposes of assisting law enforcement in
determining whether or not the ID holder is a sex offender.
(2) Removes the present law requirement for placement of the words "sex offender" in
orange color on the special ID.
(3) Requires a registered sex offender to carry his special ID that is issued pursuant to
present law on his person at all times when he is outside of his residence.
(4) Provides for a penalty consisting of a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $500
or imprisonment for a maximum of six months for a person who, rather than violates,
intentionally fails to meet the requirements of present law.
(5) Requires a registered sex offender who has been issued a special ID card pursuant
to present law to forfeit his special ID card to the OMV if he subsequently obtains
a driver's license pursuant to present law (R.S. 32:412(I)).
Effective on Jan. 1, 2027.
(Amends R.S. 32:412(I) and R.S. 40:1321(J))
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are additions.