Senate approves overhaul of post-conviction schedule and procedures amid debate on pleas and legal access

The Louisiana Senate approved House Bill 675 on final passage after extended debate and floor amendments, adopting a statutory framework to set deadlines and procedural steps for post-conviction relief petitions.

Senator Jack Moore, speaking on the measure as it appeared on the floor, described the bill as an effort to create scheduling rules and reduce lengthy delays in post-conviction litigation. "This bill deals with a very arcane area of the law, which is post-conviction relief after a person has been convicted of a crime," he said, noting examples of petitions lingering for a decade or more in some parishes.

Major changes in the adopted language include a general two-year filing window for post-conviction petitions following a final conviction (subject to transitional provisions), a 30-day initial screening period for judges, a 60-day…