Three safeguards for Louisiana families in 2027
Evidence before separation. A defined path back to contact. A meaningful opportunity to challenge expert evidence regardless of means.
The Institute for Child Custody Advocacy asks the Louisiana Legislature to enact these three reforms in the 2027 Regular Session. These are proposed changes and implementation priorities, not a statement that a bill has already been filed.
1. Evidence before separation
No order should suspend or restrict a parent’s contact with a child on an unsupported allegation alone. The court should identify the evidence and findings that justify the restriction. Sworn testimony can be evidence; an unsupported assertion is not a substitute for a finding.
For ordinary custody proceedings, an emergency order issued without notice should state the evidence relied on and expire within 14 calendar days unless a hearing with notice is held. Continued restrictions should require a decision based on the evidence at that hearing. This proposal preserves existing emergency protections for domestic abuse.
Current Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure Article 3945 generally permits an emergency custody order to last 30 days, with one extension of up to 15 days for good cause. It already requires specific facts showing immediate and irreparable injury. Its separate treatment of domestic abuse proceedings remains important. The 14 day deadline above is the Institute’s proposal.
2. A defined path back to contact
Every condition placed on contact between a parent and child should state the finding that supports it, objective completion criteria, the person or court responsible for deciding completion, a completion or review date, and the contact that follows completion. Parents should be able to identify what is required and obtain a timely decision when they have met it.
3. A meaningful opportunity to challenge expert evidence
A parent’s ability to contest a custody evaluator’s work should not depend on the ability to pay. Louisiana law already provides access to the evaluator’s file, discovery and deposition rights, cross examination, protections for indigent litigants, and no presumption in favor of the evaluator’s findings. The 2027 effort seeks practical procedures and funding that make those rights effective, including the ability to raise evidentiary challenges.
Read the current custody evaluator law, R.S. 9:331.3.
2027 campaign calendar
- February 15: Latest date for the task force report. Submit recommendations before the report is completed.
- March 30: House requests for bill drafting are due at noon for constitutional amendments and 5 p.m. for other bills. A Senate sponsor must follow the Senate’s own drafting deadline.
- April 2: Prefiling deadline, noon for constitutional amendments and 5 p.m. for other bills. This subject falls within the category limited to five prefiled bills per member.
- April 12: Regular Session opens at noon.
- June 10: Regular Session scheduled to adjourn by 6 p.m., subject to the constitutional appropriation extension described in the House bulletin.
Find your legislators
Use the Louisiana Legislature’s Find My Legislators tool to locate your state representative and senator. The Legislature states that addresses entered in its tool are transmitted to Google for geocoding.
The following committees heard HB 236 in 2024. A future bill’s referral is determined by the Legislature. Rosters below were checked against the official committee pages on October 14, 2026.
House Civil Law and Procedure
Nicholas Muscarello, chair, District 86; Ed Larvadain III, vice chair, District 26; Josh Carlson, District 43; Wilford Carter Sr., District 34; Emily Chenevert, District 66; Kathy Edmonston, District 88; Brian Leonard Glorioso, District 90; Mike Johnson, District 27; Michael Melerine, District 6; Sylvia Elaine Taylor, District 57. Phillip DeVillier, District 41, serves ex officio.
Official House committee roster and member contact details
Senate Judiciary A
Gregory A. Miller, chair, District 19; Jay Luneau, vice chair, District 29; Gary Carter, District 7; Rick Edmonds, District 6; Sam Jenkins, District 39; Beth Mizell, District 12; Alan Seabaugh, District 31. The Senate President, President Pro Tempore, and Parliamentarian are ex officio nonvoting members.
Official Senate committee roster and member contact details
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Official sources
HR 360 of 2026, enrolled resolution
House 2027 Regular Session information bulletin
Code of Civil Procedure Article 3945
Act 552 of 2024
Current R.S. 9:331.3
