Eligibility and applicability of diminution of sentence for crimes committed on or after August 1, 2024
La. R.S. 15:571.3.1
in effect15:571.3.1. Eligibility and applicability of diminution of sentence for crimes committed on or after August 1, 2024
A. No person who commits an offense on or after August 1, 2024, shall be eligible to earn nor be entitled to any diminution of sentence, hereinafter known as "good time", except as provided in this Section.
B. Every offender in a parish prison or in custody of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections who has been convicted of a felony and sentenced to imprisonment, with or without hard labor, may earn diminution of sentence for good behavior up to a maximum amount of fifteen percent of the particular sentence imposed. The provisions of this Subsection shall not apply to any person who has been convicted of a sex offense as defined in R.S. 15:541 or to any person who has been sentenced as a habitual offender under the Habitual Offender Law as set forth in R.S. 15:529.1.
C. Every offender in a parish prison or in custody of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections who has been convicted of a felony and sentenced to imprisonment, with or without hard labor, may earn an additional diminution of sentence as provided in R.S. 15:828. The provisions of this Subsection shall not apply to any person who has been convicted of a sex offense as defined in R.S. 15:541.
D. There shall be no diminution of sentence or good time credit earned or eligible to be earned on time served pursuant to Code of Criminal Procedure Article 880.
E. Any diminution of sentence or good time earned under this Section shall be subject to forfeiture as provided in R.S. 15:571.4.
F.(1) Except as provided in Paragraph (2) of this Subsection, any offender released because of diminution of sentence earned pursuant to this Section shall be released subject to the provisions of R.S. 15:571.5. The remainder of the original full term of sentence shall be served as if on unsupervised parole for any offender released pursuant to this Subsection unless his parole is revoked as provided in R.S. 15:571.5(C).
(2) An offender who has received a split sentence shall, upon release from incarceration, immediately begin serving the probationary period imposed. Any term of unsupervised parole shall be served concurrently with the probationary period.
(3) If an offender is convicted for an offense that is committed while on unsupervised parole, the amount of good time earned or credits toward the reduction of the projected good time parole supervision date earned on that portion of his sentence prior to the conviction shall be served consecutively with the sentence imposed for the offense.
G. The secretary of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections shall have sole power and authority to determine when good time has been earned and when diminution of sentence may be allowed in accordance with the provisions of this Section.
H. The secretary of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections shall promulgate rules and regulations to govern the adoption of the provisions of this Section as it relates to the earning of diminution of sentence, the method and specifics for earning good time, and further defining the terms utilized in this Section. The rules shall be adopted in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act.
I. For the purposes of this Section, "split sentence" shall mean an imposition of incarceration or commitment of an offender to a correctional facility of which a portion is suspended as allowed by law, inclusive of a period of probation.
Acts 2024, 2 nd Ex. Sess., No. 7, §1; Acts 2025, No. 158, §1, eff. June 8, 2025.
Source: Louisiana State Legislature (legis.la.gov)URL: https://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=1369453Fetched: 10/20/2026