New Louisiana Laws That Took Effect July 1st.

Louisiana receives a plethora of new statutes and laws each year. And it's the same this year. To be honest, the majority of them are usually uninteresting and have little bearing on our daily lives. That's the nature of things.

But some of us will be affected by a few new laws that were passed this year. There have been new legislation pertaining to social media, DWI convictions, insurance claims, the death penalty, and much more. View the list of laws that become operative on July 1st, 2024.

Social Media Age Requirements for Minors:
Since it directly affects every child under 16 in the state as well as their parents, this law is likely to have the biggest effect on the state. The Secure Online Child Interaction and Age Limitation Act is brought to Louisiana by SB162. What does that mean, then? essentially provides protection for users of social media who are younger than 16 by limiting their access to these platforms, limiting the gathering and use of their data, and enforcing rules for parental approval and age verification. Children under the age of sixteen will also need parental approval in order to create and maintain a social media account. This new law is complicated, but you can read the complete summary here.

Legislation Enacting Equitable Claims Handling:
The goal of SB323 is to facilitate the insurance claims procedure for both the business and the client. "Provides for fair claims processing" is the bill's headline. What what does that mean? According to the Louisiana Department of Insurance, the new rule makes it easier for policyholders and insurers to understand their respective duties during the claims process by establishing a clear and concise timeframe for the procedure. It is also intended to reduce needless lawsuits, hopefully.

A Law to Promote Youth Suicide Prevention Awareness:
The most of the attention has been focused on a new law pertaining to schools in Louisiana, which mandates the teaching of the 10 Commandments in every classroom. Still, there were also new mandates for the state's schools.

By increasing awareness of the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, SB310 seeks to reduce the number of suicides among young people in the state. The National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, or "988," must be printed on the back of all student IDs at all public and authorized nonpublic secondary schools, according to the law. Though it's little, it might just help save a few lives.

New Law Makes DWI Offenses More Serious:
Most of us have likely heard of someone who has gotten a DWI at some point. Additionally, a first offense used to be treated like a glorified smack on the wrist. That appears to be shifting, though. SB7 attempts to increase the severity of the first-time DWI punishment. According to the new law, if a person is convicted of operating a car while intoxicated for the first time, the court must mandate the installation of an ignition interlock device for at least six months.

A Novel Database for Individuals Found Guilty of Child Abuse or Neglect:
The sex offender register is well known. In order to make the public aware of your offenses, you are added to a list if you are found guilty of a certain crime. This measure creates a comparable database for Louisianans found guilty of child abuse or neglect.

Louisiana No Longer Requires a Concealed Carry License:
This bill was finally passed during the 2024 Second Extraordinary Session, following multiple efforts. Law-abiding citizens can now carry concealed weapons without a permit thanks to SB1. In addition, there are a number of other recent legislation that are connected to or affect this one.

SB2 - Limits responsibility for those who are permitted to carry concealed handguns. "Authorized persons" refers to law enforcement officers who are on active duty or have retired from their positions, as well as any individual who possesses a current concealed handgun permit and active or reserve military personnel.

SB214 - Law-abiding individuals are permitted to carry concealed weapons in establishments that provide alcohol under

SB507 - declares that anyone found carrying a concealed handgun while under the influence of alcohol or a controlled dangerous substance, or acting in a way that constitutes criminal negligence, will be subject to a fine of no more than $500, a maximum of six months in jail, or both. If the infraction takes place within the French Quarter Management District, the punishment rises to a maximum of $1,000 or six months of imprisonment, or both.

Louisiana's New Death Penalty Laws:
One of the first priorities for newly elected Governor Jeff Landry was to bring back the death sentence in Louisiana. Although it has always been legal, in the last ten or so years, there haven't been many executions in our state. Obtaining the medications required for a morally and legally sound execution has proven to be one of the major obstacles. HB6 aims to alter that. The main change in the new law is the adoption of electrocution and nitrogen hypoxia as new ways to carry out the death penalty.

Additional Louisiana New Laws:
A number of other laws are currently in force in addition to the ones mentioned above. But the majority of them have no direct effect on us "ordinary citizens." A few laws affect the Port Development Advisory Commission, land-based casino requirements, additional funding for the Port of South Louisiana, etc.