House Bill No. by Representative Villio amends the Code of Criminal Procedure Article 779 to clarify the trial process for misdemeanor offenses. The bill specifies that a defendant charged with a misdemeanor that has not been designated as a non-jury trial misdemeanor, and where the punishment may include a fine exceeding $1,000 or imprisonment for more than six months, shall be tried by a jury of six jurors. Additionally, the prosecuting authority is granted the discretion to designate certain misdemeanors as non-jury trial misdemeanors if the statute does not specify confinement at hard labor, with the maximum penalties for such offenses capped at a fine of $1,000 and imprisonment for up to six months in a parish prison or municipal jail.

The bill also establishes that all defendants charged with non-jury trial misdemeanors, as well as any other misdemeanors, will be tried by the court without a jury. The provisions of this Act will be applied both prospectively and retroactively to June 8, 2025, and will take effect upon the governor's signature or after the designated time for bills to become law without signature.