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SB51 • 2026

CRIME/PUNISHMENT: Creates the crime of fraudulent representation of military service or awards. (8/1/26)

CRIME/PUNISHMENT: Creates the crime of fraudulent representation of military service or awards. (8/1/26)

Crime
Enacted

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

Sponsor
Caleb Kleinpeter
Last action
2026-05-14
Official status
Signed by the Governor - Act 203
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Law Against Faking Military Service or Awards

This law makes it a crime to falsely claim military service or awards, with penalties that depend on the severity of the deception.

What This Bill Does

  • Creates a new crime called fraudulent representation of military service or awards.
  • Defines this crime as making false claims about having received military honors or service records without actually earning them.
  • Sets fines and jail time for people who falsely claim military service or awards, with higher penalties for specific high-level awards like the Congressional Medal of Honor.
  • Requires those who get benefits by lying about their military service to pay back what they wrongly received.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who falsely claim military service or awards
  • Veterans and active-duty military members whose benefits might be affected by false claims

Terms To Know

Award
Any medal, ribbon, badge, rank insignia, or other honor given by the U.S. armed forces.
Service record
The official document that shows a person's military service details like rank and achievements.

Limits and Unknowns

  • Only applies in Louisiana.
  • Effective from August 1, 2026.

Amendments

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

Plain English: SFASB51 2810 940 SENATE FLOOR AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by Senator Kleinpeter to Engrossed Senate Bill No.

  • SFASB51 2810 940 SENATE FLOOR AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by Senator Kleinpeter to Engrossed Senate Bill No.
  • 51 by Senator Kleinpeter 1 AMENDMENT NO.
  • 1 2 On page 1, line 12, after "person" delete "in order" and insert "with the intent" 3 AMENDMENT NO.
  • 2 4 On page 2, between lines 10 and 11, insert: 5 "(7) Combat Action Ribbon, Combat Action Badge, or Combat Action Medal." 6 AMENDMENT NO.

Bill History

  1. 2026-05-14 S

    Effective date 8/1/2026.

  2. 2026-05-14 S

    Signed by the Governor. Becomes Act No. 203.

  3. 2026-05-13 S

    Sent to the Governor by the Secretary of the Senate.

  4. 2026-05-12 H

    Signed by the Speaker of the House.

  5. 2026-05-12 S

    Enrolled. Signed by the President of the Senate.

  6. 2026-05-11 S

    Received from the House without amendments.

  7. 2026-05-07 H

    Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 99, nays 0. Finally passed, ordered to the Senate.

  8. 2026-05-06 H

    Scheduled for floor debate on 05/07/2026.

  9. 2026-05-05 H

    Read by title, passed to 3rd reading.

  10. 2026-04-29 H

    Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments.

  11. 2026-04-28 H

    Reported favorably (10-0). Referred to the Legislative Bureau.

  12. 2026-03-23 H

    Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice.

  13. 2026-03-18 H

    Received in the House from the Senate, read by title, lies over under the rules.

  14. 2026-03-17 S

    Senate floor amendments read and adopted. Read by title and passed by a vote of 35 yeas and 0 nays; ordered reengrossed and sent to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

  15. 2026-03-11 S

    Read by title. Ordered engrossed and passed to third reading and final passage.

  16. 2026-03-10 S

    Reported favorably.

  17. 2026-03-09 S

    Introduced in the Senate; read by title. Rules suspended. Read second time and referred to the Committee on Judiciary C.

  18. 2026-02-18 S

    Prefiled and under the rules provisionally referred to the Committee on Judiciary C.

Official Summary Text

CRIME/PUNISHMENT: Creates the crime of fraudulent representation of military service or awards. (8/1/26)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
2026 Regular Session ENROLLED
SENATE BILL NO. 51
BY SENATOR KLEINPETER
1 AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 14:67.30, relative to misappropriation without violence; to create the crime
3 of fraudulent representation of military service or awards; to provide for elements
4 of the crime; to provide for definitions and penalties; and to provide for related
5 matters.
6 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
7 Section 1. R.S. 14:67.30 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
8 §67.30. Fraudulent representation of military service or awards
9 A.(1) A person commits fraudulent representation of military service or
10 awards when he makes a false representation that he has received or otherwise
11 holds a military service record or award that was either revoked or not granted
12 to, achieved by, assigned to, or earned by the person with the intent to injure,
13 defraud, obtain economic gain, advantage, benefit, or secure any privilege for
14 himself or another.
15 (2) Whoever commits the crime of fraudulent representation of military
16 service or awards shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars, or
17 imprisoned for not more than six months, or both.
18 B. Whoever commits the crime of fraudulent representation of military
19 service or awards with regard to any of the following military awards or honors
20 shall be fined not more than five thousand dollars, imprisoned with or without
21 hard labor for not more than one year, or both:
22 (1) Congressional Medal of Honor as defined in 18 U.S.C. 704(c)(2).
23 (2) Distinguished-service cross awarded under 10 U.S.C. 7272.
24 (3) Navy cross awarded under 10 U.S.C. 8292.
25 (4) Air Force cross awarded under 10 U.S.C. 9272.
26 (5) Silver star awarded under 10 U.S.C. 7276, 8294, or 9276.
27 (6) Purple Heart awarded under 10 U.S.C. 1129.
ACT No. 203
Page 1 of 2
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
SB NO. 51 ENROLLED
1 (7) Combat Action Ribbon, Combat Action Badge, or Combat Action
2 Medal.
3 (8) A replacement of or duplicate of any of the awards listed in
4 Paragraphs (1) through (7) of this Subsection.
5 C. Whoever commits the crime of fraudulent representation of military
6 service or awards when the fraudulent representation results in the issuance of
7 a benefit reserved to active duty service members, veterans, or the family
8 members of active duty service members or veterans shall be fined not more
9 than ten thousand dollars, imprisoned with or without hard labor for not more
10 than five years, or both. In addition, the offender shall be required to pay full
11 restitution of the benefit received in violation of this Subsection.
12 D. As used in this Section:
13 (1) "Award" means any medal, service ribbon, ribbon device, badge,
14 rank insignia, or other honor awarded by the armed services or reserve forces
15 of the United States or the national guard of any state.
16 (2) "Service record" means the actual record compiled and maintained
17 by the armed services or reserve forces of the United States or the national
18 guard of any state that documents the service rank, deeds, achievements,
19 qualifications, or actions performed by a person during his time in service.
20 (3) "Veteran" means a person who has served in the armed services or
21 reserve forces of the United States or the national guard of any state.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED:
Page 2 of 2
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.