Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Unauthorized Use Rental Equipment topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Senate committee defers bill on unauthorized use of rental equipment for further refinement
Summary
Senate Bill 157, which would create criminal penalties for unauthorized use of rented commercial equipment, was deferred after the author said the measure needs more work to identify criminal remedies and coordinate with district attorneys.
Senate Bill 157, introduced by Senator Kathy, was deferred by the Senate Judiciary C Committee so the author could refine the proposal and consult further with prosecutors. The bill would create a criminal offense for the unauthorized use of rental equipment after proponents said current remedies are exclusively civil and leave some equipment owners without practical recourse.
Senator Kathy told the committee SB 157 "deals with the crime of the unauthorized use of rental equipment." She said a constituent who rents commercial and industrial equipment reported repeated problems of rented items not being returned; in one example a welding machine rented for three days was discovered months later in Florida and had not been recovered. The author said some versions of similar legislation filed in other states contain criminal penalties and she wanted to identify whether Louisiana law currently offers criminal avenues or whether new offenses are needed.
Committee discussion focused on whether existing criminal statutes could address the conduct and on whether the bill should be taken up the same day; the author said she preferred to shelve the bill for a week while stakeholders and district attorneys reviewed potential approaches. The committee deferred SB 157 by unanimous consent and will reschedule if the author requests.
Action taken: Motion to defer SB 157 was adopted without objection; bill deferred to a later date for further work.
