House Bill No. by Representative Bayham introduces new provisions for qualifying fees for candidates running for congressional office in the 2026 elections. Specifically, it enacts Part I-B of Chapter 5 of Title 18 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes, which establishes that the qualifying fee for candidates in a primary election for both United States representatives and senators will be set at $600. This is a significant reduction from the current fees of $1,500 for representatives and $3,500 for senators as outlined in existing law (R.S. 18:464(B)(1)).

The bill aims to make it more accessible for candidates to enter the electoral process by lowering the financial barrier associated with qualifying fees. By changing the qualifying fees for the 2026 elections, the legislation seeks to encourage greater participation in the electoral process for congressional offices in Louisiana.