HB 995 — CRIMINAL/PROCEDURE: Provides relative to the electronic access of videotaped statements of protected persons

HLSENROLLED 26RS-2083 REENGROSSED Regular Session HOUSE BILL NO.

995 BY REPRESENTATIVES LACOMBE, JACKSON, MIKE JOHNSON, MARTINEZ, SPELL, AND THOMPSON CRIMINAL/PROCEDURE:AN ACT To amend and reenact Children's Code Article 327(C) and to enact R.S.

Provides relative to the electronic access of videotaped statements of protected persons AN ACT To amend and reenact Children's Code Article 327(C) and to enact R.S.

to provide relativetotheproductionofvideotapedstatementsattrial;andtoprovideforrelatedrelativetotheproductionofvideotapedstatementsattrial; matters.

andtoprovideforrelated matters.

(2) The negation or circumvention of any requirement that a physical copy of the videotaped statement of a protected person be produced at a criminal trial Page 1 of 32 CODING:

HLS 26RS-2083 REENGROSSED HB NO.

995 (2)ENROLLED The negation or circumvention of any requirement that a physical copy of the videotaped statement of a protected person be produced at a criminal trial where a party is introducing the videotaped statement of a protected person as evidence at the criminal trial.

(1) The authorization of a pro se criminal defendanttodefendant to electronicallyaccess a copy of a videotaped statement of a protected person.

DIGESTSPEAKER ThedigestprintedbelowwaspreparedbyHouseLegislativeOF Services.THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA APPROVED:

ItconstitutesPage nopart2 of the2 legislativeCODING: 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 995 Reengrossed 2026 Regular Session LaCombe Abstract:

Provides relative to the electronic access of videotaped statements of protected persons.

Present law (R.S.

15:440.5 and Ch.C.

Art.

327) provides relative to the admissibility of videotaped statements of protected persons.

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Wordsinstruckthroughtypearedeletionsfromexistinglaw;wordsunderscored are additions.

HLS 26RS-2083 REENGROSSED HB NO.

995 Proposed law retains present law.

Proposed law provides that any requirement that a copy of a videotaped statement of a protected person be provided to a criminal defendant's attorney, to a court, or to any other personentitledbylawtosuchacopymaybesatisfiedbyprovidingelectronicaccesstoview the videotaped statement in a manner that is sufficient to protect the constitutional rights of the criminal defendant.

Proposed law does not permit any of the following:

(1) The authorization of a pro se criminal defendant to electronically access a copy of a videotaped statement of a protected person.

(2) The negation or circumvention of any requirement that a physical copy of the videotaped statement of a protected person be produced at a criminal trial where a partyisintroducingthevideotapedstatementofaprotectedpersonasevidenceatthe criminal trial.

(Amends Ch.C.

Art.

327(C);

Adds R.S.

15:440.5(D) and Ch.C.

Art.

327(D)) Summary of Amendments Adopted by House The House Floor Amendments to the engrossed bill:

1.

Clarify that the disclosure requirement relative to a copy of a videotaped statement of a protected person maybe satisfied by providing electronic access to view the videotaped statement in a manner that is sufficient to protect the constitutional rights of the criminal defendant.

2.

Clarify that the limitation within proposed law relative to the negation or circumvention of any requirement that a physical copy of the videotaped statement of a protected person be produced at a criminal trial is applicable where a party is introducing the videotaped statement of a protected person as evidence at the criminal trial.

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