HB 376 Louisiana House · 2026 Regular Session

CIVIL SERVICE/FIRE & POL: Provides relative to provisional appointments in the classified service

HB 376 sets a 90-day maximum limit for provisional appointments in specific entry-level fire and police roles (like firefighter, police officer, jailer, and radio system technicians) within Louisiana municipalities, parishes, and fire districts. It prohibits successive provisional appointments for these positions, ensuring temporary hires cannot be renewed repeatedly. The bill amends existing civil service rules to clarify these restrictions for classified service positions. This directly affects local government hiring practices for frontline public safety roles. The measure focuses on procedural rules for temporary staffing, not broader policy changes.
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 25, 2026 Signed May 15, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB376 Original HB376 Act · 1 edit
MINOR
This bill extends the maximum duration for provisional appointments in fire and police civil service from 60 days to 90 days. This change allows municipalities and parishes to fill temporary vacancies for specific entry-level and technical roles for a longer period without the appointee gaining permanent status. The amendment applies to the same categories of positions previously covered, including entrance firefighters, police officers, jailers, and clerks involved in radio or alarm systems.
Scope change
The scope of applicability remains unchanged; the bill applies to the same municipalities, parishes, and districts under the existing fire and police civil service systems.
TIMELINE

Increased the maximum term for provisional appointments in fire and police classified service from 60 days to 90 days.

Floor votes · Senate May 12, 2026 · House Apr 15, 2026

How they voted

360
Passed · 4 other
Total votes 40
May 12, 2026
D Democratic12
9 Yea 3
75% Yea
R Republican28
27 Yea 1
96% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
22
Key actions
4
Committee
5
May 12, 2026
Upper · Passed
Rules suspended. Read by title, passed by a vote of 35 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.
upper
May 4, 2026
Committee
Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.
upper
Apr 29, 2026
Upper · Passed
Reported favorably.
upper
Apr 15, 2026
Lower · Passed
Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 94, nays 0. The bill, having received two-thirds vote of the elected members, was finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.
lower
Apr 9, 2026
Lower · Passed
Reported favorably (9-0).
lower
Mar 9, 2026
Committee
Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Municipal, Parochial and Cultural Affairs.
lower
Feb 25, 2026
Committee
Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Municipal, Parochial and Cultural Affairs.
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Tim Kerner
Tim Kerner
RRepublican
LA
84