HB 401 Louisiana House · 2026 Regular Session

BRIDGES/FERRIES: Designates the elevated portion of United States Highway 190 as the "Lance Corporal Justin D. McLeese Memorial Bridge"

HB 401 designates the elevated section of U.S. Highway 190 over the Bogue Falaya River in Covington, St. Tammany Parish, as the "Corporal Justin D. McLeese Memorial Bridge" to honor a military corporal. The bill requires the Louisiana Department of Transportation to install signage reflecting this name, using local or private funds to cover costs up to $2,250 per sign. This is a ceremonial naming bill with no substantive policy changes, solely commemorating an individual through a public infrastructure designation.

Issues: ✓ Veterans

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

Jun 2026

Introduced Feb 25, 2026 Signed Jun 9, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 4 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB401 Original → HB401 Act 800 · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was formally enrolled and approved into law as Act No. 800, expanding the list of sponsors to include numerous additional representatives and senators. The most significant substantive change is the correction of the memorial title from 'Corporal' to 'Lance Corporal' Justin D. McLeese. Minor formatting adjustments were made to the text, such as adding a comma after 'St. Tammany' and updating the header information.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on designating a specific bridge and authorizing signage, but the official name of the memorial has been corrected.

DEFINITION

The memorial title was changed from 'Corporal Justin D. McLeese Memorial Bridge' to 'Lance Corporal Justin D. McLeese Memorial Bridge'.

TECHNICAL

The sponsor list was expanded to include many additional representatives and senators who joined the original bill.

Minor punctuation was added to Section 1 to include a comma after 'St. Tammany'.

The document format was updated from a draft bill to an enrolled act with official signatures and page numbering.

Floor votes · Senate May 25, 2026 · House Apr 15, 2026

How they voted

39–0

Passed · 1 other

Total votes 40

May 25, 2026

D Democratic12

11 Yea 1

91% Yea

R Republican28

28 Yea

100% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

May 25, 2026

Upper · Passed

Rules suspended. Read by title, passed by a vote of 38 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

upper

May 19, 2026

Committee

Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.

upper

May 18, 2026

Upper · Passed

Reported favorably.

upper

Apr 15, 2026

Lower · Passed

Read third time by title, amended, roll called on final passage, yeas 98, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.

lower

Mar 30, 2026

Lower · Passed

Reported favorably (12-0).

lower

Mar 9, 2026

Committee

Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works.

lower

Feb 25, 2026

Committee

Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works.

lower

1 primary · 99 co-sponsors