DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part of the
legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute part of the law
or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 77 Engrossed 2017 Regular Session Berthelot
Abstract: Increases the community service for certain littering offenses and decreases fines for
those same offenses.
Present law creates and defines four types of littering as follows:
(1)Intentional littering prohibits intentional disposal of litter on public or private property or the
waters of the state. Violations impose criminal penalties.
(2)Simple littering prohibits the disposal of litter and allowing the disposal of litter on public
or private property or on waters of the state. Violations impose civil penalties.
(3)Gross littering prohibits the intentional disposal of large items of litter such as furniture,
appliances, auto parts, tires, equipment, building materials, roofing nails, or bags or boxes
of household or office garbage on public or private property or on waters of the state.
(4)Commercial littering prohibits the disposal of litter from industrial, commercial, mining, or
agricultural operations on public or private property or waters of the state.
Present law provides for fines and for nonpecuniary penalties for litter violations in the form of
community service in a litter abatement program. In the case of a third and subsequent violation of
intentional and gross littering, nonpecuniary penalties include suspension of driver's licenses and for
gross litter, up to 30 days imprisonment.
Proposed law changes the fines for second offense intentional littering and second offense simple
littering from $1,000 to $900 and increases the community service for those offenses from 16 hours
to 20 hours.
Proposed law changes the fine for first offense gross littering from a range of $1,000 to $2,000 to
$900 and increases the community service from 8 hours to 16 hours.
(Amends R.S. 30:2531(A)(2)(b) and (B)(2)(b) and 2531.1(D)(1))