Senate Bill No. 156, introduced by Senator Kleinpeter, amends the penalties for negligent homicide in Louisiana. The bill increases the maximum period of imprisonment for negligent homicide from 10 years to 15 years, regardless of the victim's age. Additionally, if the victim is under the age of 13 and the death results from criminally negligent mistreatment, abuse, or neglect, the offender will face a minimum of 2 years and a maximum of 20 years of hard labor imprisonment. The bill also stipulates that if the court does not impose a term of imprisonment under certain circumstances, it must provide written and oral reasons for its decision.

The proposed law retains existing provisions while enhancing penalties for negligent homicide cases involving younger victims. Specifically, it removes the previous maximum of 10 years for cases involving victims aged 10 and older and introduces a new category for victims under 13 years of age, reflecting a more stringent approach to sentencing in cases of negligent homicide. The effective date for these changes is set for August 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
SB156 Original: 14:32(C)(1)
SB156 Engrossed: 14:32(C)(1)
SB156 Reengrossed: 14:32(C)(1)