Louisiana Moves Toward Eliminating Parole in Novel Legislation

Sweeping restrictions on parole advanced in the Louisiana House of Representatives Friday as part of a special legislative session called by Gov. Jeff Landry (R).

The measure is unique among statehouses, according to a Bloomberg Law analysis of Republican-controlled state legislatures in early 2024. Other states appear to be going in the opposite direction on how the criminal system works. Democratic-controlled states have eliminated cash bail for many offenses in recent years while facing fierce political backlash. New York legislators have made several rounds of changes to the criminal system since in 2019.

By contrast, two Louisiana bills (HB9, HB10) would effectively eliminate parole. Sponsor Rep. Debbie Villio (R) cast them as unwinding efforts to lessen incarceration levels in the state.

“Quit telling me that we have to open the prison gates out up and let people out,” said Villio during a floor debate. “Quit focusing your efforts on that. I have seen that for the last four years and before. Why are we focusing on that to the exclusion of our victims?”

The bills, which still require approval by the state Senate, reflect renewed Republican interest in punitive policies despite some interest in criminal justice reforms promoted by former President Donald Trump during his time in office.

People convicted of crimes in Louisiana after Aug. 1 2024, would not be eligible for parole, with limited exceptions, while facing new limits on having their sentences reduced for “good time,” according to legislative memos for HB9 and HB10.

Democratic lawmakers cast the bills to curtail parole as counterproductive to battling crime while potentially increasing costs on taxpayers if inmate populations rise in the future.

“If you take the hope of ever getting out, you’re going to have more chaos in these prisons,” said Rep. Ed Larvadain, III (D) in the floor debate. “Most folks are surviving just on hope. They have to have a chance to get out.”

Landry said in a statement to the legislature opening the session that stiffer restrictions on parole would help crime victims. “Without meaningful reform, those being released come back into the system again and again, making our communities less safe. This has caused violent crime to rise, victims to be put at risk, and our criminal justice system to remain broken,” he said.