HB 64 Louisiana House · 2025 Regular Session

ATTORNEY GENERAL: Provides relative to legal representation of sovereign interests of the state (EN NO IMPACT See Note)

HB 64 modifies state law regarding settlement agreements involving the Attorney General. It prohibits future settlement terms that require continuing federal court oversight beyond 60 days, making such terms unenforceable against the state government or successor officials. The bill specifically targets agreements creating binding future obligations exceeding this timeframe without requiring consent from the Attorney General or Governor. This change aims to limit long-term federal judicial oversight in state settlements. The bill was reported favorably by the Judiciary Committee with a 15-0 vote.

Issues: ✗ Criminal Justice

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Mar 2025

Committee Review

Jun 2025

House Passage

Jun 2025

Senate Passage

Jun 2025

Signed into Law

Jun 2025

Introduced Mar 14, 2025 Signed Jun 11, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 4 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB64 Original → HB64 Act · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was enrolled and expanded from a single sponsor to a group of representatives, formalizing its status as Act No. 237. The core legal text was significantly rewritten to strengthen the Attorney General's authority to sue the federal government and intervene in federal court cases affecting state sovereignty. New requirements mandate that local entities immediately notify the Attorney General of any federal legal threats and prohibit them from agreeing to federal court judgments without the Attorney General's approval.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded from a general mandate for legal representation to include specific procedural obligations for local political subdivisions and strict restrictions on entering federal court judgments.

ELIGIBILITY

The Attorney General's authority to represent the state was broadened to explicitly include defending against federal encroachments on powers reserved to the state by the Tenth Amendment.

REQUIREMENT

A new requirement mandates that any state entity receiving a notice or claim from a federal agency must immediately notify the Governor and Attorney General within 30 days.

Local political subdivisions are now prohibited from entering into judgments by consent in federal court without the Attorney General's and Governor's approval.

ENFORCEMENT

The bill grants the Attorney General the authority to seek a 60-day stay of litigation to allow time for the state to intervene.

TECHNICAL

The bill was updated from an original draft to an enrolled act, changing the sponsor list from one representative to multiple representatives and updating the page count.

Floor votes · Senate Jun 8, 2025 · House May 21, 2025

How they voted

25–11

Passed · 1 other

Total votes 37

Jun 8, 2025

D Democratic11

11 Nay

100% Nay

R Republican26

25 Yea 1

96% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Jun 9, 2025

Lower · Passed

Read by title, roll called, yeas 77, nays 22, Senate amendments concurred in.

lower

Jun 8, 2025

Upper · Passed

Rules suspended. The amended bill was read by title, passed by a vote of 27 yeas and 11 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

upper

Jun 3, 2025

Upper · Passed

Reported with amendments. Rules suspended. Committee amendments read and adopted. Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.

upper

May 21, 2025

Lower · Passed

Read third time by title, amended, roll called on final passage, yeas 72, nays 25. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.

lower

May 15, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reported favorably (15-0).

lower

Apr 14, 2025

Committee

Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

lower

Mar 14, 2025

Committee

Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

lower

1 primary · 16 co-sponsors