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HB 1090

CRIMINAL/PENALTIES: Provides relative to sentencing for arson of a religious building (EG SEE FISC NOTE GF EX)

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Beryl Amedée and 18 co-sponsors

HB 1090 increases penalties for arson of a religious building, raising fines and prison terms, with harsher sentences if injury or death occurs.

Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Judiciary C.
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Bill Summary · HB 1090

Summary of HB 1090 (Louisiana, 2026 Regular Session)

Purpose

HB 1090, sponsored by Rep. Bayham, would raise penalties for the crime of simple arson of a religious building. The bill amends current law to increase fines and prison terms and establishes harsher penalties when the arson results in injury or death.

Key Provisions

  • Amendment to existing statute: Repeats and revises R.S. 14:52.1(B) (simple arson of a religious building) and creates R.S. 14:52.1(C) for enhanced penalties.

  • Base offense (simple arson of a religious building) - new penalties (Section B):

    • Fine: Up to $20,000 (increased from up to $15,000).
    • Imprisonment: 8 to 30 years (increased from 8–15 years).
    • Court disposition: At least 2 years of the sentence must be served in confinement without the possibility of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence.

  • Enhanced penalties when injury or death occurs (Section C):

    • Fine: Not more than $20,000 (cap unchanged in the text, but tied to the same maximum as the base offense).
    • Imprisonment: 12 to 30 years (the minimum is increased from 12 years; the maximum remains 30 years).
    • Court disposition: At least 2 years of the sentence must be served without parole, probation, or suspension of sentence.

Who/What Is Affected

  • Targets the crime of arson specifically involving religious buildings.
  • Applies to offenders convicted of simple arson of a religious building.
  • Enhances penalties if the arson results in injury or death to persons.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • The bill amends an existing statute (R.S. 14:52.1(B)) and adds new subsection (C) to address aggravated circumstances.
  • Effective date: Not specified in the provided text; typically, bills include an effective date, but that detail is not included in the excerpt.
  • Legislative action history: Read by title and referred to the Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice on 2026-04-01 (as of the provided record).

Potential Impact

  • Significantly stiffer penalties may deter arson targeting religious buildings.
  • Higher fines and longer mandatory minimum-like components (2 years before parole eligibility) increase punitive consequences.
  • The enhanced penalties for situations involving injury or death reflect a policy emphasis on protecting places of worship and individuals from violent crime.

If you’d like, I can compare these changes to the current statute's text or provide a brief overview of how these penalties compare to penalties for arson of non-religious buildings or other arson statutes in Louisiana.

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

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