House Bill No. by Representative Bayham proposes amendments to the qualifying fees and nominating petitions for certain candidates in Louisiana elections. The bill allows individuals not affiliated with a political party to sign nominating petitions, expanding the pool of potential supporters for candidates. Additionally, it increases the qualifying fees for various state offices, raising the fee for governor and other high-ranking positions from $750 to $5,000, and for U.S. senators and representatives from $750 to $2,500.

Furthermore, the bill reduces the number of signatures required for nominating petitions for statewide candidates from 5,000 to 2,500, with a minimum of 250 signatures required from each congressional district instead of 500. These changes aim to streamline the nomination process and make it more accessible for candidates while ensuring that the requirements reflect the evolving political landscape in Louisiana. The proposed law will take effect in part when Act No. 1 of the 2024 First Extraordinary Session becomes effective and will also be effective upon the governor's signature or the expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature.

Statutes affected:
HB342 Original: 18:5(A), 18:464(B)(1), 18:465(C)(1)