HLS 25RS-920 ORIGINAL
2025 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 455
BY REPRESENTATIVE RISER
Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
BANKS/BANKING: Prohibits a beneficiary from receiving financial proceeds when
involved in the unjustifiable killing of the account holder
1 AN ACT
2To enact R.S. 6:339, relative to proceeds of certain financial instruments; to provide relative
3 to a beneficiary judicially determined to have involvement in the unjustified killing
4 of the account holder; to prohibit such beneficiary from receiving proceeds; and to
5 provide for related matters.
6Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
7 Section 1. R.S. 6:339 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
8 ยง339. Transfer of benefits to assignees or other beneficiaries; financial instruments
9 of the decedent; intentional acts exclusion
10 A. A beneficiary, assignee, or other payee of a certificate of deposit, mutual
11 fund, individual retirement account, pension plan, or other financial instrument
12 payable the upon death, disablement, or injury of the account holder shall not receive
13 any benefits, distributions, or proceeds if the beneficiary, assignee, or other payee
14 is either of the following:
15 (1) Held by a final judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction to be
16 criminally responsible for the death, disablement, or injury of the account holder,
17 plan participant, or depositor.
18 (2) Judicially determined to have participated in the intentional, unjustified
19 killing of the account holder, plan participant, or depositor.
Page 1 of 2
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 25RS-920 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 455
1 B. Where such a disqualification exists, the proceeds, funds, or distributions
2 shall be payable to the secondary or contingent beneficiary, unless similarly
3 disqualified, or, if no secondary or contingent beneficiary exists, to the estate of the
4 account holder, plan participant, or depositor.
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 455 Original 2025 Regular Session Riser
Abstract: Prohibits a beneficiary from receiving financial proceeds when involved in the
unjustifiable killing of the account holder.
Proposed law provides relative to certificates of deposit, mutual funds, individual retirement
accounts, pension plans, or other financial instruments that may be payable upon the death,
disablement, or injury of the account holder.
Proposed law provides that if a beneficiary, assignee, or payee is found criminally
responsible for, or has participated in, the intentional, unjustified killing of the account
holder, such beneficiary is disqualified from receiving any benefits from the deceased's
financial accounts.
Proposed law provides that the proceeds will transfer to the next eligible beneficiary or, if
none exist, to the account holder's estate.
(Adds R.S. 6:339)
Page 2 of 2
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.