LIABILITY/CIVIL: Creates liability for recklessly throwing from a parade float
Summary
HB 976 creates a new civil liability rule for conduct involving objects thrown from parade floats. The bill makes it unlawful for a person to knowingly or negligently throw an object from a parade float in a way that is foreseeable to cause injury to another person. If that conduct results in injury, the person is presumed liable for the injury under proposed R.S. 9:2796.1.
The bill also includes a limiting clause stating that it should not be read to prohibit any specific item from being thrown, or to interfere with the handing, dropping, or responsible tossing of items that are otherwise allowed. In effect, the measure targets reckless or careless throwing that creates injury risk, while preserving ordinary parade practices that do not pose a foreseeable danger.
Impact
HB 976 would add a new section to Louisiana Civil Code-related tort law, creating a statutory presumption of liability for injuries caused by reckless or negligent throwing from parade floats. This would affect parade participants, float organizers, and potentially insurers and civil litigants by making it easier for injured parties to establish liability when the statutory elements are met. It does not ban parade throws generally, but it could influence parade safety practices and civil exposure in connection with Mardi Gras and other parade events.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and available context, the measure appears to be framed as a public-safety and accountability bill rather than a controversial policy overhaul. There is no recorded committee transcript or vote history in the provided material, so no formal support or opposition is documented here. The language suggests an attempt to balance parade traditions with injury prevention, which may make the bill broadly understandable to safety-minded observers while still sensitive to concerns about preserving customary parade behavior.
Contention
The main point of contention is likely the scope of liability: the bill uses a negligence-based standard and creates a presumption of liability when injury occurs, which could be viewed as expanding civil exposure for parade float participants. Opponents might argue that the terms "knowingly or negligently" and "foreseeable to cause injury" could be applied broadly, potentially chilling traditional parade throwing practices. Supporters, by contrast, would likely emphasize that the bill does not ban specific items or ordinary tossing, and is aimed only at reckless conduct that causes harm.