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HB 76

CRIME/SEX OFFENSES: Creates the crime of felony intentional infection of a sexually transmitted disease (RE SEE FISC NOTE GF EX)

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Beth Billings and 1 co-sponsor

Louisiana HB 76 criminalizes intentional sexually transmitted disease transmission as a felony, establishing new criminal penalties for knowingly infecting others with STDs.

Read third time by title, amended, roll called on final passage, yeas 68, nays 18. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.
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Bill Summary · HB 76

Legislative bill overview

HB 76 creates a new felony offense in Louisiana for intentionally infecting another person with a sexually transmitted disease (STD). The bill passed the House with significant support (68-18) and is currently in the Senate Judiciary Committee for consideration.

Why is this important

This legislation establishes criminal penalties for knowingly transmitting STDs, addressing a public health and personal safety concern. The bill reflects growing legislative interest in holding individuals accountable for deliberately spreading infectious diseases, though it raises important questions about implementation and enforcement.

Potential points of contention

  • Evidentiary challenges: Proving "intentional" transmission requires establishing knowledge of infection status and deliberate disregard—standards that may be difficult to meet in practice and could create prosecutorial burdens.
  • Medical privacy concerns: Enforcement may require extensive disclosure of sexual and medical history, raising confidentiality issues and potentially discouraging STD testing.
  • Disparate impact: Communities with lower healthcare access and higher STD prevalence rates could face disproportionate criminal liability, raising equity concerns about selective prosecution.
  • Existing legal remedies: Civil lawsuits already provide remedies for transmission cases; adding felony charges may duplicate existing legal protections while creating harsher consequences.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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