Baton Rouge, LA — Beginning next year, hundreds of Louisiana public officials will have new authority to sue private citizens, businesses, and government entities for failing to remove their personal information from the internet upon request. The law, signed by Gov. Jeff Landry, also adds criminal penalties of up to 90 days in jail and fines of up to $1,000 per violation for individuals who do not remove the restricted information within 72 hours.
The measure significantly broadens existing protections that currently apply only to judges and their households. Starting in February, the right to demand removal and pursue lawsuits will extend to statewide elected officials, state legislators, public service commissioners, district attorneys, assistant district attorneys, and investigators—along with spouses, children, and dependents living in their homes. Information that must be removed includes home addresses, phone numbers, personal emails, birth dates, children’s schools, places of worship, and family employment locations.
Transparency advocates say the law is among the most expansive in the country, surpassing statutes in 38 other states that typically limit protections to judges, prosecutors, or law enforcement. Critics warn that Louisiana’s version allows officials to target news articles, public databases, and political commentary—speech explicitly protected in comparable laws in Maryland, Texas, and federal judicial security legislation.
Supporters argue the expansion responds to growing threats, citing violent incidents targeting judges and lawmakers. Opponents counter that late-session amendments shielded elected officials without public debate and could trigger unconstitutional limits on public-interest reporting.
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