HB995 • 2026

CRIMINAL/PROCEDURE: Provides relative to the electronic access of videotaped statements of protected persons

Children

Enacted

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

Sponsor: Jeremy LaCombe
Last action: 2026-05-11
Official status: Signed by the Governor - Act 91
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill text does not explicitly mention ensuring defendants' rights to confront witnesses, though it implies this through other provisions.

Rules for Accessing Videotaped Statements

This act allows electronic access to videotaped statements made by protected persons, but does not permit self-represented defendants to view these videos without proper authorization.

What This Bill Does

Allows electronic access to videotaped statements instead of providing physical copies when it is enough to protect a defendant's legal rights.
Does not allow pro se (self-represented) defendants to view these videos without proper authorization.

Who It Names or Affects

Criminal defendants and their attorneys
Courts and other entities entitled by law to copies of videotaped statements

Terms To Know

Protected persons: Individuals, such as minors or victims in certain cases, who are given special protections under the law.
Pro se defendants: People who choose to represent themselves in court without a lawyer.

Limits and Unknowns

The act only applies when electronic access is sufficient to protect the rights of criminal defendants.
It does not change the requirement for physical copies at trial if someone wants to use the videotaped statement as evidence.

Amendments

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

House Floor Amendment #3364 LaCombe Adopted

Adopted

Plain English: HFAHB995 4274 3364 FOR OFFICE USE ONLY HOUSE FLOOR AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by Representative LaCombe to Engrossed House Bill No.

HFAHB995 4274 3364 FOR OFFICE USE ONLY HOUSE FLOOR AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by Representative LaCombe to Engrossed House Bill No.
995 by Representative LaCombe 1 AMENDMENT NO.
1 2 On page 1, delete lines 11 through 13 in their entirety and insert the following: 3 "D.
Any requirement that a copy of a videotaped statement of a protected 4 person be provided to a criminal defendant's attorney, to a court, or to any other 5 person entitled by law to such a copy may be satisfied by providing electronic access 6 to view the videotaped" 7 AMENDMENT NO.

Bill History

2026-05-11 H
Effective date: 08/01/2026.
2026-05-11 H
Signed by the Governor. Becomes Act No. 91.
2026-05-11 S
Signed by the President of the Senate on 5/7/2026.
2026-05-08 H
Sent to the Governor for executive approval.
2026-05-07 H
Enrolled and signed by the Speaker of the House.
2026-05-07 H
Received from the Senate without amendments.
2026-05-06 S
Read by title, passed by a vote of 35 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.
2026-04-27 S
Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments. Read by title and passed to third reading and final passage.
2026-04-22 S
Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.
2026-04-21 S
Reported favorably.
2026-04-14 S
Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Judiciary C.
2026-04-13 S
Received in the Senate. Read first time by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.
2026-04-08 H
Read third time by title, amended, roll called on final passage, yeas 99, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.
2026-04-08 H
Called from the calendar.
2026-04-08 H
Read by title, returned to the calendar.
2026-04-07 H
Scheduled for floor debate on 04/08/2026.
2026-04-01 H
Read by title, ordered engrossed, passed to 3rd reading.
2026-03-31 H
Reported favorably (10-0).
2026-03-24 H
Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice.
2026-03-23 H
Read by title. Lies over under the rules.

Official Summary Text

CRIMINAL/PROCEDURE: Provides relative to the electronic access of videotaped statements of protected persons

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

ENROLLED
ACT No. 912026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 995
BY REPRESENTATIVES LACOMBE, JACKSON, MIKE JOHNSON, MARTINEZ,
SPELL, AND THOMPSON
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact Children's Code Article 327(C) and to enact R.S. 15:440.5(D) and
3 Children's Code Article 327(D), relative to videotaped statements of protected
4 persons; to provide relative to accessability; to provide for limitations; to provide
5 relative to the production of videotaped statements at trial; and to provide for related
6 matters.
7 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
8 Section 1. R.S. 15:440.5(D) is hereby enacted to read as follows:
9 §440.5. Admissibility of videotaped statements; discovery by defendant
10 * * *
11 D. Any requirement that a copy of a videotaped statement of a protected
12 person be provided to a criminal defendant's attorney, to a court, or to any other
13 person entitled by law to such a copy may be satisfied by providing electronic access
14 to view the videotaped statement in a manner that is sufficient to protect the rights
15 of the criminal defendant under the United States Constitution and Louisiana
16 Constitution. This Subsection does not permit any of the following:
17 (1) The authorization of a pro se criminal defendant to electronically access
18 a copy of a videotaped statement of a protected person.
19 (2) The negation or circumvention of any requirement that a physical copy
20 of the videotaped statement of a protected person be produced at a criminal trial
Page 1 of 2
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HB NO. 995 ENROLLED
1 where a party is introducing the videotaped statement of a protected person as
2 evidence at the criminal trial.
3 Section 2. Children's Code Article 327(C) is hereby amended and reenacted and
4 Children's Code Article 327(D) is hereby enacted to read as follows:
5 Art. 327. Admissibility
6 * * *
7 C. Any requirement that a copy of a videotaped statement of a protected
8 person be provided to a criminal defendant's attorney, to a court, or to any other
9 person entitled by law to such a copy may be satisfied by providing electronic access
10 to view the videotaped statement in a manner that is sufficient to protect the rights
11 of the criminal defendant under the United States Constitution and Louisiana
12 Constitution. This Paragraph does not permit any of the following:
13 (1) The authorization of a pro se criminal defendant to electronically access
14 a copy of a videotaped statement of a protected person.
15 (2) The negation or circumvention of any requirement that a physical copy
16 of the videotaped statement of a protected person be produced at a criminal trial
17 where a party is introducing the videotaped statement of a protected person as
18 evidence at the criminal trial.
19 D. Nothing in this Chapter shall be construed to prohibit the right of
20 confrontation of a defendant in a criminal proceeding before the court.
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.