HLS 202ES-50 ORIGINAL
2020 Second Extraordinary Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 9
BY REPRESENTATIVE MCCORMICK
LIABILITY: Provides immunity from civil liability and criminal prosecution for certain
persons during declared emergencies (Items #2, 28, and 60)
1 AN ACT
2To enact R.S. 29:776, relative to the applicability of certain limitations of liability during
3 public health emergencies; to provide relative to religious assembly; to provide for
4 the freedom to exercise religious assembly during public emergencies; to provide for
5 immunity from civil liability and criminal prosecution; and to provide for related
6 matters.
7Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
8 Section 1. R.S. 29:776 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
9 ยง776. Religious assembly during public health emergencies
10 A. Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, no natural or juridical person
11 shall be liable for any civil damages, fines, or penalties for assembling to exercise
12 religious freedom during a public emergency, including public health emergencies,
13 as declared by this Chapter or Chapter 6 of this Title.
14 B. Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, no natural or juridical person
15 shall be liable for criminal prosecution for assembling to exercise religious freedom
16 during a public emergency, including public health emergencies, as declared by this
17 Chapter or Chapter 6 of this Title.
18 Section 2. Due to the impact of COVID-19, this Act shall be retroactive to March
1911, 2020.
Page 1 of 2
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 202ES-50 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 9
1 Section 3. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
2signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature
3by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If
4vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become
5effective on the day following such approval.
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 9 Original 2020 Second Extraordinary Session McCormick
Abstract: Provides for civil and criminal liability immunity for religious assembly during
declared public emergencies.
Proposed law provides that no natural or juridical person shall be subject to civil or criminal
liability for assembling for religious purposes during a declared public emergency, including
public health emergencies.
Proposed law is retroactive to March 11, 2020.
Effective upon signature of governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Adds R.S. 29:776)
Page 2 of 2
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.