By Nolan McKendry | The Center Square

From stiffer penalties to new restrictions, several proposals filed in the Louisiana Legislature aim to reshape how justice is served across the state.

House Bill 6 takes aim at a specific kind of financial misconduct: misusing funds meant for utility bills. Under the proposed law, anyone who pockets rental payments intended to cover water, electricity, or gas – and doesn’t pay up – could face up to 10 years in prison and fines as high as $100,000.

For tenants, this could mean greater accountability from landlords or roommates handling shared bills. But it also raises the stakes for landlords. A conviction could lead to seized property and restitution payments, with courts setting up payment plans based on what someone can afford.

House Bill 11, also known as The Segus Jolivette Act, targets repeat violent offenders. If passed, a third felony conviction for a violent crime would carry at least half the maximum sentence for a first offense, while a fourth or more would jump to 75%. The bill is named after Lafayette SWAT officer Sr. Cpl. Segus Jolivette, who was killed in action.

“Had this guy carried out the sentence he received in 2022, we would not even be seeing him until 2030,” said Duson Police Chief Kip Judice. “He would still be locked up. Corporal Jolivette would still be alive.”

For families in high-crime areas, this could mean fewer familiar faces returning to the streets. It might also strain households already grappling with loved ones caught in the system.

House Bill 12 zeroes in on consumable hemp products, like edibles or vape oils.

Selling them to anyone under 21 could net a $1,000 to $2,000 fine or up to six months in jail, while kids caught buying or holding them face a $100 ticket, but would not be included in their criminal record.

For shop owners, it’s a new layer of scrutiny; for parents, it’s another means for grounding in a world of trendy products. Anyone producing hemp goods without a permit would face felony charges with up to 10 years behind bars and a $50,000 fine – a potential blow to small businesses skirting the regulations.

House Bill 27 could keep more people locked up during emergencies. If a hurricane or flood triggers a state of emergency, no inmate in the affected area could be released without a court order – a shift from past practices where evacuations sometimes sped up releases.

For communities near jails, this might ease fears of sudden returns during chaos, but it could also clog facilities already stretched thin by disaster.