COLLEGES/UNIVERSITIES: Prohibits, with exceptions, a public postsecondary education institution from prohibiting a student from possessing self-defense chemical spray on campus
HB 195 prohibits public Louisiana colleges and universities from banning students from carrying self-defense chemical spray on campus, defining it as a compact device (max 2 ounces) carried on the person solely for self-defense. Exceptions allow institutions to restrict possession in buildings with armed security or at events where contracts already prohibit such items. The bill directly affects students at public postsecondary institutions by expanding their permitted campus safety tools, while maintaining institutional authority over specific high-security areas. It does not change existing campus weapon policies beyond this specific provision.
Bill status
signed
all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2026
Committee Review
May 2026
House Passage
Apr 2026
Senate Passage
May 2026
Signed into Law
May 2026
Introduced Feb 18, 2026
Signed May 29, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons
What changed between versions
HB195 Original
→
HB195 Act 421
·
3 edits
MINOR
This bill expands the scope of a law protecting students' right to carry self-defense chemical spray on campus. Originally, the law only applied to colleges and universities, but it now also covers preschools, elementary schools, and secondary schools operated by the institution. Additionally, the law was clarified to allow institutions to ban the spray in specific high-security areas like buildings with armed security or events where possession is prohibited by contract.
Scope change
The bill's applicability expanded from exclusively public postsecondary education institutions to include all levels of public education (preschool through secondary) and patient care facilities located on institutional property.
SCOPE
Extended the law's protection to preschools, elementary schools, and secondary schools operated by the institution, in addition to colleges and universities.
Added protection for self-defense chemical spray in patient care facilities located on institutional property.
REQUIREMENT
Clarified that institutions may still prohibit the spray in specific high-security locations, such as buildings with armed security or events where possession is banned by contract.
Floor votes · Senate May 19, 2026 · House Apr 8, 2026
How they voted
35–0
Passed · 5 other
Total votes 40
May 19, 2026
D
Democratic12
75% Yea
R
Republican28
92% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
20
Key actions
4
Committee
5
May 19, 2026
Upper · Passed
Rules suspended. Read by title, passed by a vote of 34 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.
upper
May 12, 2026
Committee
Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.
upper
May 11, 2026
Upper · Passed
Reported favorably.
upper
Apr 8, 2026
Lower · Passed
Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 93, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.
lower
Mar 31, 2026
Lower · Passed
Reported with amendments (13-0).
lower
Mar 9, 2026
Committee
Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Education.
lower
Feb 18, 2026
Committee
Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Education.
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Mike Bayham
RRepublican
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