National Homelessness Law Center The Louisiana House Judiciary Committee voted 12-4 on April 9 to advance a controversial bill that could force homeless individuals into unpaid labor.
House Bill 211, authored by Rep. Debbie Villio (R-Kenner), would prohibit unauthorized camping on public property, defined as “the intentional use of any tent, shelter, or bedding constructed or arranged for the purpose of or in such a way to permit overnight use on public property that is not a designated campground.”
If signed into law, offenders could either face a fine of up to $500 or imprisonment for up to six months on their first offense (or both). Subsequent convictions could result in a fine of up to $1,000 or imprisonment, with or without unpaid labor, for up to two years.
Under the proposal, individuals who are unable to pay for mandated treatment programs could be required to perform unpaid labor to cover the cost.
The bill officially passed in the House of Representatives on April 15, 2026, according to WAFB. It now goes to the Senate Committee on Judiciary C for further consideration.
Experts and local activists have expressed concern that the bill could do more harm than good if it becomes law.
“Louisiana has a long history – and present – of chain gangs, prison labor, and entrenched white supremacy. This bill clearly evokes debtor’s prisons, convict leasing, and the ugliest day of Jim Crow,” a statement from “The Housing Not Handcuffs” campaign, sponsored by the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty, said.
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