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HB 1245

LAW ENFORCEMENT: Provides relative to disclosure of certain law enforcement records

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Tehmi Chassion and 1 co-sponsor

The bill restricts public access to records derived from CJIS/LCCHS criminal history data about witnesses flagged as criminal-justice employees, shielding them from disclosure.

Effective date: 08/01/2026.
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Bill Summary · HB 1245

Summary of Louisiana HB 1245 (2026 Session)

Purpose

HB 1245 aims to restrict the disclosure of certain law enforcement records, specifically records that contain information derived from criminal history databases. The bill adds new confidentiality protections for records indicating an individual is a current or potential employee of a criminal justice agency, and it provides liability protections for those handling such records.

Key Provisions and Changes

  • Scope of confidentiality (new and amended provisions):

    • The bill amends R.S. 44:3(A)(9) and R.S. 44:4.1(B)(30) to carve out an exception to public-record disclosures.
    • It exempts from disclosure records that directly derive from:
    • The FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) criminal history databases, and/or
    • The Louisiana Computerized Criminal History System (LCCHS) operated by the Department of Public Safety and Corrections (DPS&C),
    • Specifically, this applies to information about a witness who is indicated by the filer to be an employee of a criminal justice agency, unless the information is voluntarily released, already publicly available, or released by court order.

  • Liability protection (new):

    • The bill provides immunity from liability for:
    • Clerks of court and their employees/agents, and
    • The Louisiana Clerks’ Remote Access Authority (including its board members, employees, and agents),
    • for acts or omissions related to compliance with the bill’s provisions.
    • This does not remove other defenses or immunities available to public officials/entities.

  • Applicability (existing framework retained):

    • The bill retains the general Public Records Law framework (R.S. 44:4) and the existing list of public-record exemptions (R.S. 44:4.1).

  • Cross-referenced exemptions:

    • The bill continues to recognize exemptions and limitations in the public records code and adds the new targeted exemption for records tied to criminal history databases.

Who Is Affected

  • Public records custodians and entities:
    • Clerks of court, their employees/agents, and the Louisiana Clerks’ Remote Access Authority (including board members, employees, and agents).
  • Public records requestors:
    • Any party seeking access to court or law enforcement records, particularly records involving individuals identified as criminal justice employees or those tied to CJIS/LCCHS data.
  • Witnesses and individuals connected to criminal history data:
    • Records directly derived from CJIS or LCCHS data about witnesses who are indicated as criminal-justice employees.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • Effective mechanics:
    • The bill amends and reenacts existing statutory sections (R.S. 44:3(A)(9), 44:4.1(B)(30)) and adds new sections (R.S. 44:3(A)(9) and 44:4(65)).
  • Operational impact:
    • Public-record requests for certain records will be filtered to exclude information derived from CJIS/LCCHS when the filer identifies the witness as a criminal-justice employee, subject to voluntary release or court order.
  • No retroactive changes specified:
    • The text does not indicate retroactive applicability; it appears to apply to records of requests made under current law going forward.

Potential Impacts and Considerations

  • Transparency vs. privacy:
    • The bill narrows public access to specific law enforcement records, balancing public transparency with protection of sensitive criminal-history-derived information and the privacy/operational concerns of criminal-justice personnel.
  • Data security and immunity:
    • By granting liability immunity to clerks and the Clerks’ Remote Access Authority, the bill aims to reduce chill factors in compliance but may raise questions about accountability in error scenarios.
  • Implementation:
    • Agencies will need to establish processes to identify and segregate CJIS/LCCHS-derived information and to determine when a record contains data that qualifies for the exemption.

Status

  • Read by title as of 2026-04-23. Primary sponsor: Representative Wiley (co-sponsor: Jeff Wiley).

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

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