COURTS: Provides relative to the courts and the judiciary. (8/1/26) (EN SEE FISC NOTE GF EX)
Summary
SB 357 is a judiciary administration bill that makes a series of targeted changes to Louisiana law governing the Supreme Court, courts of appeal, and judicial recusal. It authorizes the Supreme Court to adopt rules for certifying questions of Louisiana law from federal appellate courts and courts of last resort in other states, updates provisions on Supreme Court criers and court security personnel, and clarifies that certain court security officers may be commissioned as deputy sheriffs and designated with statewide police power. The bill also revises language on facsimile filing, case management, and related technology, limiting that section to appellate courts.
The bill further creates a new expense-reimbursement framework for Supreme Court justices whose primary residence is more than 50 miles from the courthouse, allowing certain payments to be treated as vouchered expenses under an accountable plan and setting limits tied to federal travel rates and court rules. It specifies that these reimbursements are not employee compensation for public retirement purposes. Finally, SB 357 revises recusal procedures for Supreme Court justices and appellate criminal cases by requiring referred recusal motions to be denied unless a majority of the other justices find sufficient grounds, and it repeals outdated provisions relating to court personnel.
Impact
SB 357 amends multiple provisions in Title 13, the Code of Civil Procedure, the Code of Criminal Procedure, and Title 40, while repealing two obsolete statutes. Its practical effect is to modernize court administration, formalize security and commission authority for Supreme Court and appellate court personnel, and establish clearer rules for judicial travel and expense reimbursement. It also changes how recusal motions involving Supreme Court justices are handled and preserves the ability of justices to maintain district offices in certain parishes despite new primary-work-location language.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have been broadly supported and noncontroversial in final passage, clearing the Senate unanimously 38-0 and ultimately being signed by the governor as Act 276. The absence of committee transcript discussion suggests limited public debate in the available record, and the bill’s provisions are largely administrative and technical in nature. Overall, the sentiment reflected in the voting history is favorable and consensus-driven.
Contention
The most likely points of contention are the provisions affecting Supreme Court justices’ expenses, travel reimbursements, and recusal procedures, because those sections directly affect judicial compensation-related practices and internal court governance. The bill also expands or clarifies security personnel authority, including statewide police power and deputy sheriff commissioning, which could raise questions about scope and oversight. However, the recorded vote shows no opposition, so any disagreement was not strong enough to surface in final floor action.
Provides relative to court costs in suits involving the state and state agencies in the Nineteenth Judicial District Court. (2/3-CA7s2.1(A)) (8/1/25) (OR INCREASE GF EX See Note)