Louisiana Bill Tracking And State Guide
Everything you need to know to engage with the Senate and House
How does a bill become law in Louisiana?
How a Bill Becomes a Law in Louisiana
The process of how a bill becomes a law in Louisiana involves several steps:
- Legislative Session: The Louisiana Legislature meets annually during a legislative session, which can be one of five types: Organizational, Emergency, Extraordinary, Regular, or Veto.
- Bill Introduction: A bill is proposed by a legislator to change, enact, or repeal a law. Various types of bills include House Bills, Senate Bills, and Resolutions.
- Bill Filing: Once a bill is filed and the legislative session begins, it starts the process of becoming a law.
- Status Changes: As the bill progresses, its status changes from Original to Engrossed (with committee amendments), Reengrossed (with floor amendments), and finally to Enrolled (final form for submission to the governor).
- Governor's Approval: The Enrolled bill is sent to the governor for approval or veto. If signed by the governor or allowed to become law without a signature, it is assigned an Act number by the secretary of state.
- Finalization: The bill becomes an Act after passing through all the above steps successfully.
How can a member of the public get involved in the legislative process in Louisiana?
A member of the public can get involved in the legislative process in Louisiana in several ways:
1. Attend Legislative Sessions: Citizens can attend the various types of legislative sessions (Regular, Extraordinary, etc.) where lawmakers convene to discuss and create laws.
2. Engage with Legislators: Members of the public can reach out to their elected representatives in the House of Representatives and Senate to express their opinions, concerns, or support for specific bills. This can be done through email, phone calls, or in-person meetings.
3. Participate in Public Hearings: Legislative committees often hold public hearings where individuals can provide input or testimony on proposed legislation. Attending these hearings allows citizens to share their views and influence the legislative process.
4. Follow the Legislative Process: Individuals can stay informed about bills and resolutions being introduced and their progress through the legislative process by using a bill tracking service.
5. Submit Proposals or Resolutions: While it is primarily legislators who introduce bills, individuals may work with their representatives to propose ideas for new laws or changes to existing laws.
6. Contact Advocacy Groups: Joining or working with advocacy groups that align with specific interests or issues can amplify public voices in the legislative process.
How can FastDemocracy help me with that?
Tracking bills is hard, especially if you rely on state legislature websites, which are often hard to navigate. Thousands of bills get filed in Louisiana every year (and about 180,000 bills nationwide). If you want to be an effective advocate, you need to know where legislation of interest stands, and act quickly.
FastDemocracy's free version allows you to track an unlimited number of bills - no strings attached. We'll send you a daily or weekly email on your priority bills and give you tools to research bills and legislators.
FastDemocracy Professional is for anyone who tracks bills in a professional capacity. It features
- real-time bill, amendment and hearing alerts
- automated reporting
- team collaboration
- bill tagging for clients and stakeholders
- bill similarity detection
- ...and much more
How do I track bills in Louisiana?
1. Sign up here for a free FastDemocracy account.
2. Head to Tracked Topics to select issue areas you care about.
3. Use the search bar on top if you're looking for something specific.
4. Click "Track Bill" for any legislation you'd like to monitor a bit closer. That's how you add it to your Tracked Bills. You can also click on a bill to learn more, see the bill summary, most recent actions, votes, news and tweets. You can also contact legislators or share your bills on social media.
5. You can track an unlimited number of bills for free and we'll send you a daily or weekly email if your tracked legislation moves.
6. Do you need real-time alerts, outreach tools, bill lists, and professional functions? Then FastDemocracy Professional is the right fit for you.
7. Track bills on your smartphone using our free mobile app.
How do I find my local Louisiana Senator and Representative?
You can use the Find Your Legislators tool to find them, see their voting records, and contact them.
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Most tracked bills in Louisiana, 2025 Regular Session
ELECTION OFFENSES: Provides relative to acts prohibited during early voting or on election day (EG SEE FISC NOTE LF EX)
Last Action
Reported favorably.
Senate • May 14, 2025Latest Version
LABOR: Provides relative to the resignation from labor organization dues or fees for teachers and other school employees and public employees (RE SEE FISC NOTE LF EX)
Last Action
Rules suspended. Reported favorably.
Senate • May 14, 2025Latest Version
HEALTH SERVICES: Authorizes an individual to refuse certain medical treatments
Last Action
Reported by substitute (10-0).
House • May 14, 2025Latest Version
Last Action
Reported with amendments.
Senate • May 14, 2025Latest Version
ENVIRONMENT: Creates the Louisiana Atmospheric Protection Act (OR SEE FISC NOTE GF EX)
- Kimberly Coates
Valarie Hodges
Last Action
Reported with amendments (11-0).
House • May 14, 2025Latest Version
Last Action
Scheduled for floor debate on 05/19/2025.
House • May 13, 2025Latest Version
ENERGY/SOLAR: Provides for the regulation of solar facilities (EG INCREASE SD EX See Note)
Last Action
Read third time by title, amended, roll called on final passage, yeas 46, nays 53. Failed to pass.
House • May 13, 2025Latest Version
PUBLIC HEALTH: Provides relative to nutrition. (See Act) (RE SEE FISC NOTE GF EX)
Last Action
Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Health and Welfare.
House • May 08, 2025Latest Version
SUNSET LAW: Re-creates the Department of Transportation and Development
Last Action
Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works.
Senate • May 08, 2025Latest Version
TRANSPORTATION DEPT: Reforms the organizational structure for the Department of Transportation and Development including its duties, powers, and responsibilities of officers and employees (RR INCREASE GF EX See Note)
Last Action
Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works.
Senate • May 08, 2025Latest Version
TRANSPORTATION: Reforms operations for the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (RE INCREASE GF EX See Note)
Ryan Bourriaque
Beryl Amedee- Mike Bayham
Last Action
Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works.
Senate • May 08, 2025Latest Version
CRIMINAL PROCEDURE: Provides relative to post conviction relief for defendants convicted by a non-unanimous jury verdict. (8/1/25)
Last Action
Read by title and returned to the Calendar, subject to call.
Senate • May 07, 2025Latest Version
PUBLIC HEALTH: Provides relative to public water systems. (1/1/26)
Last Action
Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Health and Welfare.
House • May 06, 2025Latest Version
CRIME/PUNISHMENT: Provides relative to criminal court jurisdiction over juveniles. (8/1/25) (EG SEE FISC NOTE LF EX)
Last Action
Read by title. Committee amendments read and adopted; ordered engrossed and recommitted to the Committee on Finance.
Senate • Apr 30, 2025Latest Version
CHILDREN/DCFS: Reorganizes the Department of Children and Family Services (EG NO IMPACT See Note)
Kim Carver- Dixon McMakin
Last Action
Read by title, returned to the calendar.
House • Apr 29, 2025Latest Version
WORKFORCE COMMISSION: Transfers certain family and support programs from the Department of Children and Family Services to the Louisiana Workforce Commission and renames Louisiana Workforce Commission to Louisiana Works (EG INCREASE GF EX See Note)
Stephanie Berault- Beth Billings
- Kimberly Coates
Last Action
Read by title, amended, ordered engrossed, recommitted to the Committee on Appropriations.
House • Apr 24, 2025Latest Version
May 19, 2025 09:00am
HCR-5
ATTORNEY GENERAL: Creates the Fugitive Apprehension Unit within the office of the attorney general (OR NO IMPACT See Note)
- Mike Bayham
Last Action
Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
House • Apr 14, 2025Latest Version
May 15, 2025 09:00am
HCR-1
TAX/INCOME TAX: Repeals the motion picture production tax credit and reduces the individual income tax rate (OR -$310,300,000 GF RV See Note)
Last Action
Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.
House • Apr 14, 2025Latest Version
ENERGY/CONSERVATION: Removes eminent domain authority for carbon dioxide sequestration
Last Action
Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Natural Resources and Environment.
House • Apr 14, 2025Latest Version
EMPLOYMENT/DISCRIMINATN: Provides relative to employment discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation
Last Action
Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Labor and Industrial Relations.
House • Apr 14, 2025Latest Version
May 15, 2025 09:00am
HCR-5
All Legislators in Louisiana (Senator and Representative)
