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Read. Follow. Verify.Louisiana sets a new threshold for six-person jury trials in misdemeanor cases
Last action · May 15, 2026: Effective date: 05/18/2026.Sponsor: Debbie Villio
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What This Bill Does
Louisiana sets a threshold requiring a six-person jury trial for defendants charged with misdemeanors carrying a fine exceeding $2,500 or imprisonment of more than six months. The law applies prospectively and retroactively to June 8, 2025.
Defendants facing certain misdemeanor charges now qualify for a jury trial based on revised fine and imprisonment limits, altering how their cases are adjudicated in court.
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
defendants charged with a misdemeanor
Misdemeanor defendants are subject to new criteria determining whether their cases are tried by a judge alone or by a six-person jury.
Key Facts
- Defendants charged with a misdemeanor carrying a fine exceeding $2,500 or imprisonment for more than six months must be tried by a jury of six jurors.
- All six jurors must concur to render a verdict.
- The provisions of the Act apply both prospectively and retroactively to June 8, 2025.
- The Act becomes effective upon signature by the governor or upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature.
Frequently Asked Questions
What triggers the requirement for a six-person jury in a misdemeanor trial?
Are these changes applied retroactively?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Current status: Became law without the governor's signature.
Procedural history
28 actions- May 15, 2026HouseBecomes Act No. 192 without the Governor's signature.
- May 15, 2026HouseEffective date: 05/18/2026.
- May 7, 2026SenateEnrolledSigned by the President of the Senate.
- May 7, 2026HouseSent to the Governor for executive approval.
- May 6, 2026HouseReceived from the Senate without amendments.
- May 6, 2026HouseEnrolledEnrolled and signed by the Speaker of the House.
Show 22 earlier actions
- May 5, 2026SenateFloorRead by title, passed by a vote of 33 yeas and 2 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.
- Apr 27, 2026SenateFloorReported without Legislative Bureau amendments. Read by title and passed to third reading and final passage.
- Apr 22, 2026SenateIntroducedRead by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.
- Apr 21, 2026SenateCommitteeReported favorably.
- Apr 15, 2026SenateCommitteeRead second time by title and referred to the Committee on Judiciary C.
- Apr 14, 2026SenateReceived in the Senate. Read first time by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.
- Apr 13, 2026HouseCalled from the calendar.
- Apr 13, 2026HouseFloorRead third time by title, amended, roll called on final passage, yeas 85, nays 3. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.
- Apr 8, 2026HouseNotice given.
- Apr 8, 2026HouseScheduled for floor debate on 04/13/26.
- Mar 31, 2026HouseCalled from the calendar.
- Mar 31, 2026HouseIntroducedRead by title, returned to the calendar.
- Mar 24, 2026HouseIntroducedRead by title, returned to the calendar.
- Mar 24, 2026HouseNotice given.
- Mar 24, 2026HouseScheduled for floor debate on 03/31/2026.
- Mar 23, 2026HouseFloorRead by title, amended, ordered engrossed, passed to 3rd reading.
- Mar 23, 2026HouseScheduled for floor debate on 03/24/2026.
- Mar 18, 2026HouseReported with amendments (12-0).
- Mar 9, 2026HouseIntroducedRead by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice.
- Jan 30, 2026HousePrefiled.
- Jan 30, 2026HouseCommitteeUnder the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice.
- Jan 30, 2026HouseFirst appeared in the Interim Calendar on 1/30/2026.
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Connected Entities
Sources
www.legis.la.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance60How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy15Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz20Current news / social attention level
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