LouisianaLaw protects victims’ identities and preserves assault kits for 20 years
Public agencies must protect certain victims’ identities, while sexual assault survivors have rights to long-term kit storage and notice of their rights.
What it does
Public agencies must keep the names and contact details of covered victims private. Exceptions include cases where the victim waives privacy or requests records, and specified homicide cases.
Survivors have the right to have an unreported sexual assault collection kit kept free of charge for at least 20 years, or longer if law or policy sets a longer period.
Survivors have the right to notice of their listed rights. If discretionary STOP grant funds are provided, they must support updated notice developed with service providers and approved by the state oversight commission.
Argument forSurvivors may have more time to decide what to do because unreported sexual assault collection kits must be kept free of charge for at least 20 years.
Argument againstSurvivors may receive less useful notice if no discretionary STOP grant funds are provided or the oversight commission does not approve it.
More detail
Public agencies must not publicly disclose identifying details about covered victims. This covers people who were under 18 when the offense happened and victims of sex offenses or human trafficking-related offenses, regardless of when the offense happened. It excludes specified homicide victims, including a sex-offense or trafficking victim when the related homicide caused the death. A victim may waive confidentiality, and officials may disclose the name of a juvenile victim if the crime caused the victim’s death. The rule does not require removing a victim’s name from records when that victim requests them.
A sexual assault survivor has the right to have an unreported collection kit preserved without charge. The right applies to an unreported sexual assault collection kit. The text says the kit must be kept for at least 20 years, or for the longer maximum period provided by law or policy. The kit must be preserved for at least 20 years.
Survivors have the right to notice of the rights listed in this section and may send a complaint about a violation directly to either named legislative committee. Complaints must concern a violation of the Sexual Assault Survivor Bill of Rights and may go to the Senate Select Committee on Women and Children or the House Select Committee on Women and Children. Discretionary STOP grant funds provided to the state must be used to update and provide the notice. Sexual assault service providers must help develop it, and the Louisiana Sexual Assault Oversight Commission must approve it. The law took effect when the governor signed it on June 8, 2026.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Jun 8Signed by the Governor Jeff Landry. Becomes Act No. 815.Became Law
- Jun 8Effective date: 06/08/2026.
- Jun 1Signed by the President of the Senate.
- Jun 1Sent to the Governor for executive approval.To Governor
- May 31Enrolled and signed by the Speaker of the House.Minor
- May 29Read by title, roll called, yeas 97, nays 0, Senate amendments concurred in.
- Vote recorded CONCUR IN SENATE AMENDMENTS (#1689). Result: pass.Lower
- May 27Scheduled for concurrence on 05/29/2026.
- May 26Rules suspended. Senate floor amendments read and adopted. Read by title, passed by a vote of 35 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.Passed Senate
- Vote recorded FINAL PASSAGE (#1263). Result: pass.Upper
- May 26Received from the Senate with amendments.Minor
- May 20Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments. Read by title and passed to third reading and final passage.Minor
- May 19Committee amendments read and adopted. Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.
- May 18Reported with amendments.Minor
- May 7Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Judiciary B.Minor
- May 6Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 98, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.Passed House
- Vote recorded FINAL PASSAGE (#903). Result: pass.Lower
- May 6Received in the Senate. Rules suspended. Read first time by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.Minor
- May 5Read by title, amended, ordered engrossed, passed to 3rd reading.Minor
- May 5Scheduled for floor debate on 05/06/2026.
- Apr 29Reported with amendments (15-0).Minor
- Mar 9Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Judiciary.Minor
- Feb 27First appeared in the Interim Calendar on 2/27/2026.
- Feb 26Prefiled.Minor
- Feb 26Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Judiciary.Introduced
Criminal Justice