Louisiana 2026 Regular Session Status: Enacted Bipartisan · 15 D · 4 R cosponsors

HB 656 — CORRECTIONS: Creates a pilot program that provides certain DPS&C programming and services to inmates (EN SEE FISC NOTE GF EX)

Last action — Signed by the Governor. Becomes Act No. 663.

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. ✓
    Passed House
  4. ✓
    Passed Senate
  5. ✓
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced February 27, 2026. Enacted.

Signed by Governor Jeff Landry (Republican) on June 02, 2026.

Odds of enactment

High chance

Based on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a high chance of becoming law.

Upgrade to see the exact probability and what's driving it.

A statistical estimate from our own model of past outcomes — an insight, not a guarantee. Policymaking is volatile.

Prognosis

Likely to advance 98% · high confidence

  • Enacted

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 19 sponsors

    1 primary, 18 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Bipartisan support

    Sponsored across 2 parties (15 D · 4 R) — cross-party backing.

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 2 recorded votes so far.

Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.

In plain language

Creates a pilot program for programming and services for inmates.

This bill establishes a pilot program to offer specific programming and services provided by the Department of Public Safety and Corrections to inmates. It aims to improve resources and support for individuals in correctional facilities.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

23 added · 42 removed

Plain-language change summary

In the latest version of Bill HB 656, the reference to "ACT No. 663" has been removed. This change simplifies the bill by eliminating unnecessary citations, making it easier for everyone to understand the legislation. It's important because it helps to focus on the core proposals without distractions from outdated or irrelevant references.

→
Previous
Latest
HLS 26RS-527 REENGROSSED Regular Session HOUSE BILL NO.
ENROLLED Regular Session HOUSE BILL NO.
656 BYREPRESENTATIVESBRYANT,BAYHAM,BILLINGS,CARPENTER,WILFORD CARTER, CHASSION, FREEMAN, FREIBERG, DANA HENRY, TRAVIS JOHNSON, MARCELLE, MARTINEZ, MOORE, MURRAY, NEWELL, TAYLOR, WALTERS, WILEY, AND YOUNG CORRECTIONS:
656 BYREPRESENTATIVESBRYANT,BAYHAM,BILLINGS,CARPENTER,WILFORD CARTER, CHASSION, FREEMAN, FREIBERG, DANA HENRY, TRAVIS JOHNSON, MARCELLE, MARTINEZ, MOORE, MURRAY, NEWELL, TAYLOR, WALTERS, WILEY, AND YOUNG AN ACT To enact R.S.
Creates a pilot program that provides certain DPS&C programmingand services to inmates AN ACT To enact R.S.
15:830.4, relative to programming for inmates;
15:830.4, relative programmingfor inmates;
to provide for the establishment of a pilot program;
to provide for the establishment ofapilotprogram;toprovideforprogrammingtopics;toprovideforattendanceand accessibility;
to provide for programming topics;
to provide for duties of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections;
to provide for attendanceandaccessibility;toprovidefordutiesoftheDepartmentofPublicSafety and Corrections;
Subject to the availability of funds and appropriate resources, the Department of Public Safety and Corrections is hereby authorized to establish the Access to Programming Pilot Program, to be administered by inmates who are qualified and approved by the department, for the purpose of making programming available to all of the following:
Subject to the availability of funds and appropriate resources, the Department of Public Safety and Corrections is hereby authorized to establish the Access to Programming Pilot Program, to be administered by inmates who are qualified and approved bythe department, for the purpose of making programming available to all of the following:
Page 1 of 2 CODING:
(1) Rehabilitation services that encompass educational and vocational opportunities.
Wordsinstruckthroughtypearedeletionsfromexistinglaw;wordsunderscored are additions.
HLS 26RS-527 REENGROSSED HB NO.
656 (1) Rehabilitation services that encompass educational and vocational opportunities.
(1) Throughsimultaneousaudio-visualtransmissionforjuvenileshousedin juvenile facilities.
(1) Throughsimultaneousaudio-visualtransmission forjuvenileshousedin juvenile facilities.
(2) In-personorthroughsimultaneousaudio-visualtransmissionforinmates housed in parish prisons or jails.
Page 1 of 2 CODING:
Wordsinstruckthroughtypearedeletionsfromexistinglaw;wordsunderscored are additions.
HB NO.
656 ENROLLED (2) In-personorthroughsimultaneousaudio-visualtransmissionforinmates housed in parish prisons or jails.
DIGEST ThedigestprintedbelowwaspreparedbyHouseLegislative Services.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA APPROVED:
It constitutes nopart of the legislative 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 656 Reengrossed 2026 Regular Session Bryant Abstract:
Creates a pilot program that provides certain Dept.
of Public Safety and Corrections (DPS&C) programming and services to inmates.
Proposed law authorizes DPS&C, subject to the availability of funding and resources, to establish the Access to Programming Pilot Program to be administered byinmates who are qualified and approved by DPS&C for the purpose of making programming available to certain offenders.
Proposed law provides for services to be included within the programming and options for attendance.
Proposed law requires DPS&C to adopt rules and regulations in accordance with the APA to implement the provisions of proposed law.
(Adds R.S.
15:830.4) Summary of Amendments Adopted by House The House Floor Amendments to the engrossed bill:
1.
Provide that the Access to Programming Pilot Program is to be administered by inmates who are qualified and approved bythe department.
⬇ Download PDF
View plain text versions (5)

Amendments

1 amendment

Click Show changes on an amendment above to see how it modifies the bill.

Action History

  1. Signed by the Governor. Becomes Act No. 663.

  2. Effective date: 08/01/2026.

  3. Sent to the Governor for executive approval.

  4. Signed by the President of the Senate.

  5. Enrolled and signed by the Speaker of the House.

  6. Rules suspended. Read by title, passed by a vote of 35 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

  7. Received from the Senate without amendments.

  8. Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments. Read by title and passed to third reading and final passage.

  9. Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.

  10. Reported favorably.

  11. Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Judiciary B.

  12. Received in the Senate. Read first time by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.

  13. Read third time by title, amended, roll called on final passage, yeas 101, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.

  14. Read by title, ordered engrossed, passed to 3rd reading.

  15. Scheduled for floor debate on 05/05/2026.

  16. Reported favorably (9-0).

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

  18. Prefiled.

  19. Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice.

  20. First appeared in the Interim Calendar on 2/27/2026.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

Export CSV (upgrade) →

1 sponsors · 18 co-sponsors · 128 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (18)

Not signed on (128)

128 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 128 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

FINAL PASSAGE (#1269)

Passed 35 Yea · 0 Nay · 4 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 1000
Republican 25002
Democrat 9002
Total 35004
% of votes cast 90%0%0%10%
How each member voted (39)
Member Party Vote
Mr. President — Yea
Edward J. Price Democrat Yea
Gary Carter Democrat Yea
Gerald Boudreaux Democrat Yea
Jay Luneau Democrat Yea
Jimmy Harris Democrat Yea
Katrina R. Jackson-Andrews Democrat Yea
Larry Selders Democrat Not Voting
Regina Barrow Democrat Not Voting
Royce Duplessis Democrat Yea
Sam Jenkins Democrat Yea
Sidney Barthelemy II Democrat Yea
Adam Bass Republican Yea
Alan Seabaugh Republican Yea
Beth Mizell Republican Yea
Blake Miguez Republican Yea
Bob Hensgens Republican Yea
Brach Jerad Myers Republican Yea
Caleb Kleinpeter Republican Yea
Eddie J. Lambert Republican Yea
Franklin J. Foil Republican Yea
Glen Womack Republican Yea
Gregory A. Miller Republican Yea
Heather Cloud Republican Yea
Jeremy Stine Republican Yea
John C. "Jay" Morris Republican Yea
Jr., William "Bill" Wheat Republican Yea
Kirk Talbot Republican Yea
Mark Abraham Republican Yea
Michael "Big Mike" Fesi Republican Yea
Mike Reese Republican Yea
Patrick Connick Republican Not Voting
Patrick McMath Republican Yea
Rick Edmonds Republican Yea
Robert "Bob" Owen Republican Not Voting
Robert Allain Republican Yea
Stewart Jr. Cathey Republican Yea
Thomas A. Pressly Republican Yea
Valarie Hodges Republican Yea

Official roll call →

FINAL PASSAGE (#878)

Passed 101 Yea · 0 Nay · 4 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 6001
Republican 65003
Democrat 30000
Total 101004
% of votes cast 96%0%0%4%
How each member voted (105)
Member Party Vote
Mr. Speaker — Yea
Amedee — Yea
Galle — Yea
Stagni — Not Voting
Johnson, T. — Yea
Landry, T. — Yea
St. Blanc — Yea
Adrian Fisher Democrat Yea
Aimee Adatto Freeman Democrat Yea
Alonzo L. Knox Democrat Yea
Barbara Carpenter Democrat Yea
C. Denise Marcelle Democrat Yea
Candace N. Newell Democrat Yea
Chasity Martinez Democrat Yea
Dana Henry Democrat Yea
Delisha Boyd Democrat Yea
Ed Murray Democrat Yea
Edmond Jordan Democrat Yea
Gerald Boudreaux Democrat Yea
III, Ed Larvadain Democrat Yea
Joy Walters Democrat Yea
Jr., Kyle M. Green Democrat Yea
Ken Brass Democrat Yea
Mandie Landry Democrat Yea
Marcus Anthony Bryant Democrat Yea
Pat Moore Democrat Yea
Rashid Armand Young Democrat Yea
Robby Carter Democrat Yea
Rodney Lyons Democrat Yea
Roy Daryl Adams Democrat Yea
Shaun Raphael Mena Democrat Yea
Sr., Wilford Carter Democrat Yea
Steven Jackson Democrat Yea
Sylvia Elaine Taylor Democrat Yea
Tammy T. Phelps Democrat Yea
Tehmi Jahi Chassion Democrat Yea
Vanessa Caston LaFleur Democrat Yea
Annie Spell Republican Yea
Barbara Reich Freiberg Republican Yea
Beth Anne Billings Republican Yea
Brett F. Geymann Republican Yea
Brian Leonard Glorioso Republican Yea
Bryan Fontenot Republican Yea
Chad Michael Boyer Republican Yea
Chance Keith Henry Republican Yea
Christopher Turner Republican Yea
Danny McCormick Republican Yea
Daryl Andrew Deshotel Republican Yea
Debbie Villio Republican Yea
Dixon Wallace McMakin Republican Yea
Dodie Horton Republican Yea
Emily Chenevert Republican Yea
Foy Bryan Gadberry Republican Yea
Francis C. Thompson Republican Yea
Gregory A. Miller Republican Yea
III, Roger William Wilder Republican Yea
III, Vincent E. Cox Republican Yea
IV, Gerald "Beau" Beaullieu Republican Not Voting
Jack McFarland Republican Not Voting
Jacob Braud Republican Yea
Jacob Jules Landry Republican Yea
Jason Brian DeWitt Republican Yea
Jeffrey "Jeff" Fons Wiley Republican Yea
Jeremy LaCombe Republican Yea
Jerome Zeringue Republican Yea
Jessica Domangue Republican Yea
John E. Wyble Republican Yea
Joseph A. Orgeron Republican Yea
Josh Carlson Republican Yea
Jr., Dennis Bamburg Republican Yea
Jr., John R. Illg Republican Yea
Jr., Michael Robert Bayham Republican Yea
Kathy Edmonston Republican Yea
Kellee Hennessy Dickerson Republican Yea
Kim Carver Republican Yea
Kimberly Landry Coates Republican Yea
Larry A. Bagley Republican Yea
Lauren Ventrella Republican Yea
Laurie Schlegel Republican Not Voting
Les Farnum Republican Yea
Mark Wright Republican Yea
Michael "Gabe" Firment Republican Yea
Michael Charles Echols Republican Yea
Michael Melerine Republican Yea
Mike Johnson Republican Yea
Neil Riser Republican Yea
Nicholas Muscarello Republican Yea
Paul Sawyer Republican Yea
Phillip Eric Tarver Republican Yea
Polly Thomas Republican Yea
R. Dewith Carrier Republican Yea
Raymond J. Crews Republican Yea
Reese "Skip" Broussard Republican Yea
Rhonda Gaye Butler Republican Yea
Robert "Bob" Owen Republican Yea
Rodney Schamerhorn Republican Yea
Ryan Bourriaque Republican Yea
Shane Mack Republican Yea
Sr., Peter F. Egan Republican Yea
Stephanie H. Berault Republican Yea
Stephanie Hilferty Republican Yea
Timothy P. Kerner Republican Yea
Tony Bacala Republican Yea
Troy Jude Hebert Republican Yea
Wayne McMahen Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

public-safety labor
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors HB 656?
HB 656 is sponsored by Rashid Armand Young (Democrat), Jeffrey "Jeff" Fons Wiley (Republican), Joy Walters (Democrat), Sylvia Elaine Taylor (Democrat), Candace N. Newell (Democrat), Ed Murray (Democrat), Pat Moore (Democrat), Chasity Martinez (Democrat), C. Denise Marcelle (Democrat), Dana Henry (Democrat), Barbara Reich Freiberg (Republican), Aimee Adatto Freeman (Democrat), Tehmi Jahi Chassion (Democrat), Sr., Wilford Carter (Democrat), Barbara Carpenter (Democrat), Beth Anne Billings (Republican), Jr., Michael Robert Bayham (Republican), Marcus Anthony Bryant (Democrat), and C. Travis Johnson (Democrat).
What is the current status of HB 656?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced February 27, 2026. Enacted.
Where can I track HB 656?
Track HB 656 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

Make your voice heard on HB 656

Find the representatives who decide this bill and tell them where you stand — for yourself, or mobilize your whole list in one click with One Click Politics advocacy software.

Find my representatives → Run a campaign

Stay ahead of HB 656

Last checked for changes 3 months ago · updated continuously

One Click Politics tracks every bill in Congress and all 50 states.

Track this bill →