LOUISIANA FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The Louisiana Fraternal Order of Police Legislative Committee is actively monitoring the 2026 Regular Session. We are fighting to protect your rights, secure your benefits, and ensure the safety of our profession.

In addition to the specific bills listed below, we are watching several other pieces of legislation that could have implications affecting law enforcement. As the session moves forward, we will continue to monitor all developments and provide updates to the membership as the need arises.

DEDICATED REPRESENTATION:Please be reminded that the Louisiana FOP has a dedicated governmental liaisons team of Mapes and Mapes in the Capitol every day. They are speaking directly with legislators and representing our interests at the highest levels of state government.

CRITICAL OPPOSITION: HB 31Stance: STRONGLY OPPOSE

HB 31 allows municipalities under 5,000 residents to irrevocably terminate participation in MPERS for all new hires.

Loss of Protection: No access to survivor benefits for families if killed in the line of duty.
No Disability Safety Net: No benefits if an officer is gravely disabled.
No Mandated Alternative: Leaves new officers without a professional safety net.

PRIORITY: FOP SPONSOREDHB 12 (SUPPORT): Extending Survivor Benefits

This is Louisiana Fraternal Order of Police sponsored legislation, authored by Representative Debbie Villio (Chair of House Administration of Criminal Justice).

This issue was brought to our attention by an associate member of a local lodge—this is your FOP working for you.

CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM

CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION: HB 4 & HB 244Stance: MONITORING CLOSELY

The FOP is closely monitoring both constitutional convention bills (HB 4 and HB 244) to see how they develop throughout the session. Our primary focus is to ensure that our members' hard-won rights and protections remain preserved. We will evaluate our position as the details of any proposed changes become clearer.

CRIMINAL LAW & OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES

We are supporting several pieces of legislation related to the daily performance and safety of our officers:

HB 132 (SUPPORT): Expands "battery of a police officer" to include "acoustic battery" (bullhorns within 3 feet) and group concert penalties.
HB 255 (SUPPORT): Adds 2 years to sentences for crimes against officers if the offender wore a mask.
HB 378 (SUPPORT): Establishes $1,000 fine/2 years prison for using a vehicle to obstruct pursuit or arrest.
HB 51/58 (SUPPORT): Prohibits post-conviction bail for aggravated offenses against minors.
HB 74/SB 227 (SUPPORT): Creates "Spectrum Alerts" for ASD children and mandates specialized training.
SB 320 (SUPPORT): Statewide tracking system for outstanding CODIS hits (DNA matches).
SB 44 (SUPPORT): Clarifies agency approval for firearms/ammo for tactical medical professionals.
HB 64 & HB 546 (WATCH): Monitoring warrant recall procedures and protective custody observation criteria.

OFFICER RIGHTS & QUALIFICATIONS

HB 341 (OPPOSE): Defines "interrogation" and mandates specific notifications.Status: The FOP is against this bill as currently drafted. However, we have already begun discussing potential amendments with the author and other involved parties to address our concerns and protect officer due process.
HB 39 (WATCH): Requiring U.S. citizenship for all certified LEOs.Committee Note: We are watching this piece of legislation closely to assure that the rights of current officers are not encroached upon.
HB 339 (SUPPORT): Protects officer personal contact information (home address, phone, etc.) from public records.

OTHER BENEFITS & FUNDING

HB 145 (SUPPORT): Extraordinary Medical/Dental Expenses. Declares state public policy to provide for expenses for officers injured in the line of duty.
SB 143 (SUPPORT): Protective Equipment Fund. We are hopeful that this is finally the year it passes to provide necessary vests.

RETIREMENT SYSTEMS

HB 45 (SUPPORT): Increases the MPERS accrual rate to 3.33% starting in 2027.
HB 33 (SUPPORT): Allows SPRF members with 35+ years of service a 60-month Back-DROP.

VOTER VOICE ACTION REQUIRED

Stay tuned for future updates. We will call on you soon to engage in the Voter Voice process. Your participation is vital.

Fraternally,The Louisiana FOP Legislative Committee

‍