The Louisiana Senate on Thursday passed House Bill 208, an act amending provisions in Title 15 that govern release eligibility of incarcerated persons, including limits on "good time" credits for certain offenders convicted before Aug. 1, 2024, and changes to parole supervision calculations.

The bill, presented on the floor by Senator Morris, was approved 26-12. Senators on the floor pressed staff and the sponsor for details about fiscal consequences, whether the changes would be applied retroactively to people already released, and how the law would affect parole and probation timelines.

Supporters, including Senator Morris, said the measure aligns prior special-session changes and clarifies how good-time and parole eligibility rules apply to offenses committed before the August 2024 cutoff. Opponents warned the bill could return people on unsupervised parole to custody and raised concerns about prison safety and cost.

During extended floor discussion, senators asked for and cited the fiscal note language. The bill’s fiscal note reported an indeterminable total state cost but identified an estimated per-inmate cost of $107.60 per day should affected individuals be returned to custody. Senators also questioned whether the bill would require people already released under prior calculations to be re-incarcerated to complete newly-calculated time.

Senators Plessis, Jackson Andrews, Barrow, Price and others asked multiple questions on the floor. Senators seeking clarity were told the bill was intended to address circuit splits and statutory ambiguities left over from earlier session work and to conform various provisions that affect good-time accrual, split sentences, parole-violation sanctions and custodial return procedures.

The final motion for passage was made by Senator Morris and the roll call closed at 26 yeas and 12 nays. The clerk recorded the final passage motion and the bill will proceed under the normal enrollment and transmittal process.

Why it matters: The bill changes how and when certain incarcerated people earn and keep reductions to their sentences. That directly affects release dates for people convicted before Aug. 1, 2024, who are classified as "habitual offenders" or convicted of specified serious offenses. Floor debate focused on the potential fiscal cost to the Department of Corrections and the practical effect on people currently serving or under supervision.

What the Senate debated: Questions on the floor covered whether the bill would: (1) eliminate or reduce good-time credit for habitual offenders and people convicted of certain serious offenses before Aug. 1, 2024; (2) require the return to custody of offenders who have been released on unsupervised parole to complete newly-calculated time; and (3) increase state incarceration costs if individuals reenter custody. The fiscal note cited an indeterminable aggregate cost but included the $107.60 per-offender-per-day figure used in departmental estimates.

Next steps: With final passage on the Senate floor, the bill advances in the legislative process for enrollment and transmittal to the governor, subject to the legislature’s scheduling and any further procedural steps required by law.

Ending: The bill drew clear, sustained questioning on the floor about implementation and costs; senators urged continued oversight of fiscal estimates and Department of Corrections reporting as the law takes effect.