HLS 25RS-442 ORIGINAL
2025 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 96
BY REPRESENTATIVE KNOX
Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
MILITARY AFFAIRS: Adds the U.S. Space Force to various statutory definitions of U.S.
Armed Forces
1 AN ACT
2To amend and reenact R.S. 13:5364(1), R.S. 14:34(C)(1) and (2), 34.1(B)(1) and (2), and
3 34.7(B)(1) and (2), R.S. 15:1199.23(2), R.S. 17:269 and 1915(Article II)(R), R.S.
4 37:3651(N) and 3662(2), R.S. 46:121(1)(a) and (4)(introductory paragraph), and R.S.
5 47:463.195(C), relative to definitions of the United States Armed Forces; to provide
6 for the inclusion of the United States Space Force in various statutory definitions of
7 United States Armed Forces; and to provide for related matters.
8Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
9 Section 1. R.S. 13:5364(1) is hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows:
10 §5364. Definitions
11 For the purposes of this Chapter:
12 (1) "Veteran" means a former or current member of the United States Armed
13 Forces or organized militia of the several states and territories, including but not
14 limited to a member of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, Marine Corps,
15 Coast Guard, National Guard, Air National Guard, Reserves, State Guard, or a
16 commissioned officer of the Public Health Service, Environmental Science Services
17 Administration, or National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or its
18 predecessor, the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey.
19 * * *
20 Section 2. R.S. 14:34(C)(1) and (2), 34.1(B)(1) and (2), and 34.7(B)(1) and (2) are
21hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows:
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1 §34. Aggravated battery
2 * * *
3 C. For purposes of this Section, the following words shall have the following
4 meanings:
5 (1) "Active member of the United States Armed Forces" shall mean an active
6 member of the United States Army, the United States Marine Corps, the United
7 States Navy, the United States Air Force, the United States Space Force, the United
8 States Coast Guard, or the National Guard.
9 (2) "Disabled veteran" shall mean a veteran member of the United States
10 Army, the United States Marine Corps, the United States Navy, the United States Air
11 Force, the United States Space Force, the United States Coast Guard, or the National
12 Guard who is disabled as determined by the United States Department of Veteran
13 Affairs.
14 §34.1. Second degree battery
15 * * *
16 B. For purposes of this Section, the following words shall have the following
17 meanings:
18 (1) "Active member of the United States Armed Forces" shall mean an active
19 member of the United States Army, the United States Marine Corps, the United
20 States Navy, the United States Air Force, the United States Space Force, the United
21 States Coast Guard, or the National Guard.
22 (2) "Disabled veteran" shall mean a veteran member of the United States
23 Army, the United States Marine Corps, the United States Navy, the United States Air
24 Force, the United States Space Force, the United States Coast Guard, or the National
25 Guard who is disabled as determined by the United States Department of Veteran
26 Affairs.
27 * * *
28 §34.7. Aggravated second degree battery
29 * * *
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1 B. For purposes of this Section, the following words shall have the following
2 meanings:
3 (1) "Active member of the United States Armed Forces" shall mean an active
4 member of the United States Army, the United States Marine Corps, the United
5 States Navy, the United States Air Force, the United States Space Force, the United
6 States Coast Guard, or the National Guard.
7 (2) "Disabled veteran" shall mean a veteran member of the United States
8 Army, the United States Marine Corps, the United States Navy, the United States Air
9 Force, the United States Space Force, the United States Coast Guard, or the National
10 Guard who is disabled as determined by the United States Department of Veteran
11 Affairs.
12 * * *
13 Section 3. R.S. 15:1199.23(2) is hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows:
14 §1199.23. Definitions
15 For the purposes of this Part:
16 * * *
17 (2) "Veteran" means an honorably or generally discharged member of the
18 United States Armed Forces or organized militia of the several states and territories,
19 including but not limited to a member of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Space Force,
20 Marine Corps, Coast Guard, National Guard, Air National Guard, Reserves, State
21 Guard, or a commissioned officer of the Public Health Service, Environmental
22 Science Services Administration, or National Oceanic and Atmospheric
23 Administration, or its predecessor, the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey.
24 Section 4. R.S. 17:269 and 1915(Article II)(R) are hereby amended and reenacted
25to read as follows:
26 §269. Selective service obligation orientation program
27 The state board of education may establish and administer, and each parish
28 and city school board in the state may maintain in each public school to which
29 applicable a selective service obligation orientation program of instruction which
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1 may be part of the required curriculum for all male students in grades higher than the
2 eighth grade in the public schools of this state.
3 The program so established may require that every male student in the ninth,
4 tenth and eleventh grades be given one hour of non credit instruction during each
5 semester of each of such grades, by representatives of the Louisiana Selective
6 Service System, in subject matter pertaining to armed forces obligations.
7 During the second semester of the twelfth grade every male student may be
8 given six hours of instruction, without credit, in matters pertaining to his armed
9 forces obligations, including but not necessarily restricted to matters relating to
10 service in the regular armed forces, the reserves and officer procurement. Such
11 instruction may include one hour of lecture by representatives of each of the
12 following: (1) the Louisiana Selective Service System, (2) the Air Forces of the
13 United States Air Force, (3) the United States Space Force, (4) the United States
14 Army, (4) (5) the United States Navy, (5) (6) the United States Marine Corps, and
15 (6) (7) the United States Coast Guard.
16 §1915. Ratification; text of compact
17 * * *
18 ARTICLE II
19 DEFINITIONS
20 As used in this compact, unless the context clearly requires a different
21 construction:
22 * * *
23 R. "Uniformed service" means the Army, Navy, Air Force, Space Force,
24 Marine Corps, Coast Guard as well as the Commissioned Corps of the National
25 Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and Public Health Services.
26 * * *
27 Section 5. R.S. 37:3651(N) and 3662(2) are hereby amended and reenacted to read
28as follows:
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1 §3651. Licensure for individuals with military training and experience; licensure by
2 endorsement for military spouses and dependents
3 * * *
4 N. For the purposes of this Section, "military" means the armed forces or
5 reserves of the United States, including the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast
6 Guard, Air Force, Space Force, and the reserve components thereof, the National
7 Guard of any state, the Military Reserves of any state, or the naval militia of any
8 state.
9 * * *
10 §3662. Definitions
11 As used in this Chapter, the following words have the following meanings
12 unless the context clearly requires otherwise:
13 * * *
14 (2) "Military medical personnel" means an individual who has recently
15 served as a medic in the United States Army, medical technician in the United States
16 Air Force or United States Space Force, or corpsman in the United States Navy or
17 the United States Coast Guard and who was discharged or released from such service
18 under conditions other than dishonorable.
19 * * *
20 Section 6. R.S. 46:121(1)(a) and (4)(introductory paragraph) are hereby amended
21and reenacted to read as follows:
22 §121. Definitions
23 For purposes of this Part, the following terms shall be defined as follows:
24 (1) "Activated military person" means a person domiciled in Louisiana for
25 civilian purposes who names Louisiana as Home of Record (HOR) for military
26 purposes, and who is any of the following:
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1 (a) A member of a reserve component of the United States Army, Navy, Air
2 Force, Space Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard, including the Louisiana National
3 Guard, and called to active federal service in excess of thirty days.
4 * * *
5 (4) "Honorably discharged military person" means a person domiciled in
6 Louisiana who is a veteran of the United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Space Force,
7 Marine Corps, or Coast Guard who was on full-time active duty in the military
8 service of the United States and received an honorable discharge and has met any of
9 the following conditions:
10 * * *
11 Section 7. R.S. 47:463.195(C) is hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows:
12 §463.195. Special prestige license plate; "Blue Star Mothers"
13 * * *
14 C. The special prestige license plate shall be issued, upon application, in the
15 same manner as any other motor vehicle license plate, to a Louisiana resident who
16 submits written evidence that the applicant is the owner of a motor vehicle and is the
17 spouse, sibling, parent, or child of a person serving or who has served in the armed
18 forces of the United States. As used in this Subsection, "armed forces of the United
19 States" means persons serving or who have served in the United States Army, Navy,
20 Air Force, Space Force, Marines, and Coast Guard, reservists, and members of the
21 National Guard. The plate issued under this Section shall not be transferable between
22 motor vehicle owners. In the event the owner of a motor vehicle issued a "Blue Star
23 Mothers" plate should sell, trade, exchange, or otherwise dispose of such vehicle, the
24 plate shall be retained by original applicant to whom the plate was issued.
25 * * *
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HB NO. 96
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 96 Original 2025 Regular Session Knox
Abstract: Adds the U.S. Space Force to various statutory definitions of U.S. Armed Forces.
Present law provides, with respect to various provisions in present law, for definitions of
"veteran", "disabled veteran", "active member of the United States Armed Forces",
"uniformed service", "military", "military medical personnel", "activated military person",
and "honorary discharged military person", each of which include former or current
members of the U.S. Armed Forces.
Proposed law retains present law and adds the U.S. Space Force to various statutory
definitions which include the U.S. Armed Forces.
(Amends R.S. 13:5364(1), R.S. 14:34(C)(1) and (2), 34.1(B)(1) and (2), and 34.7(B)(1) and
(2), R.S. 15:1199.23(2), R.S. 17:269 and 1915(Art. II)(R), R.S. 37:3651(N) and 3662(2),
R.S. 46:121(1)(a) and (4)(intro. para.), and R.S. 47:463.195(C))
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