§329.9. Temporary protection zones; establishment; penalties

            A. The parish president, mayor, sheriff, chief of police, or chief executive officer of a political subdivision may, when necessary to ensure public safety, issue a proclamation that establishes one or more temporary protection zones within the territorial jurisdiction of the political subdivision. A temporary protection zone may include highways, shorelines, waterways, or other areas within the jurisdiction of the issuing authority.

            B.(1) Any proclamation that establishes a temporary protection zone shall be in writing and contain all of the following:

            (a) The circumstances that necessitate the establishment of the temporary protection zone.

            (b) The geographic boundaries of the temporary protection zone, with sufficient specificity to provide reasonable notice to the public.

            (c) The date and time when the proclamation of the temporary protection zone takes effect.

            (d) A description of the restrictions on access to or activity within the temporary protection zone.

            (2) The proclamation shall be given prompt and general publicity and shall be filed with the clerk of court's office.

            C. A temporary protection zone established pursuant to this Section shall remain in effect only as long as necessary to ensure the security of the area and shall not remain in effect for longer than seventy-two hours from the date and time of issuance. Nothing in this Section prohibits the issuing authority from establishing a new temporary protection zone upon the expiration of a previously established zone, provided that the establishment of the zone is still warranted pursuant to Subsection A of this Section.

            D. A person who, after being advised of the establishment of a temporary protection zone pursuant to this Section, violates any provision of the proclamation that established the zone or any lawful directive given by a law enforcement officer relating to the enforcement of the zone shall be punished as follows:

            (1) If the violation involves the wrongful use of public property, the offender shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars or imprisoned for not more than six months, or both.

            (2) If the violation involves serious bodily injury or property damage in excess of five thousand dollars, the offender shall be imprisoned at hard labor for not more than five years.

            (3) If the violation involves the death of any person, the offender shall be imprisoned at hard labor for not more than twenty-one years.

            E. This Section does not grant a parish president, mayor, sheriff, chief of police, or chief executive officer of a political subdivision the authority to act in a manner inconsistent with R.S. 40:1796.

            Acts 2026, No. 189, §1, eff. May 15, 2026.