Read the full stored bill text
ENROLLED
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 6
BY REPRESENTATIVE KNOX
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
To authorize and direct the Louisiana State Law Institute to study intestate succession
proceedings and mechanisms to disinherit successors without a will and to report its
findings to the Legislature of Louisiana no later than February 4, 2027.
WHEREAS, succession is the transmission of the estate of the deceased to his
successors; and
WHEREAS, there are two kinds of succession, testate and intestate; and
WHEREAS, testate succession results from the will of the deceased, contained in a
testament executed in a form prescribed by law; and
WHEREAS, in the absence of valid testamentary disposition, the undisposed
property of the deceased devolves by operation of law in favor of his descendants,
ascendants, and collaterals; and
WHEREAS, many parents are estranged from their adult children; and
WHEREAS, Civil Code Article 1617 provides that a forced heir shall be deprived
of his legitime if he is disinherited by the testator, for just cause, in the manner prescribed
by law; and
WHEREAS, Civil Code Article 1618 provides that a disinherison must be made in
one of the forms prescribed by testaments; and
WHEREAS, the disinherison must be made expressly and for a just cause otherwise
it is null in accordance with Civil Code Article 1619. The person who is disinherited must
be either identified by name or otherwise identifiable from the instrument that disinherits
him; and
Page 1 of 2
HCR NO. 6 ENROLLED
WHEREAS, Civil Code Article 1620 provides that there are no just causes for
disinherison except those expressly recognized by law; and
WHEREAS, one of the causes for disinherison in Civil Code Article 1621 is if the
child, after attaining the age of majority and knowing how to contact the parent, has failed
to communicate with the parent without just cause for a period of two years, unless a child
was on active duty in any of the military forces of the United States at the time; and
WHEREAS, current law does not provide authority to disinherit a child without a
will; and
WHEREAS, if the deceased dies intestate, estranged children can inherit from the
deceased.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
authorize and direct the Louisiana State Law Institute to study intestate succession
proceedings and mechanisms to prohibit an intestate successor from inheriting from the
deceased when he is estranged from the deceased and report its findings to the Louisiana
Legislature no later than February 4, 2027.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
director of the Louisiana State Law Institute.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Louisiana State Law Institute shall submit
one printed copy and one electronic copy of any report produced pursuant to this Resolution
to the David R. Poynter Legislative Research Library as required by R.S. 24:772.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
Page 2 of 2