ELECTIONS/COMMISSIONERS: Provides for early voting commissioners assisting with the nursing home early voting program (EN +$38,400 GF EX See Note)
HB 551 allows Louisiana registrars of voters to hire trained commissioners to assist during early voting, specifically for the nursing home voting program. Commissioners must take an oath, complete a confidentiality form (including partial SSN), and follow strict rules to protect voter information. They will be paid $150 per day for their work, in addition to any other applicable compensation. This bill directly affects registrars, nursing home voters, and the commissioners themselves by standardizing their roles in early voting operations.
Bill status
signed
all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2026
Committee Review
Apr 2026
House Passage
Mar 2026
Senate Passage
May 2026
Signed into Law
May 2026
Introduced Feb 26, 2026
Signed May 15, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 4 comparisons
What changed between versions
HB551 Original
→
HB551 Act
·
4 edits
MODERATE
This bill expands the existing early voting program to specifically include assistance for nursing home voters. It requires registrars to request approval for commissioners to help conduct voting at nursing homes and mandates that these commissioners take a special oath and complete a confidentiality affidavit before working. The bill also clarifies that the standard $150 daily pay rate applies to these nursing home voting assistants.
Scope change
The bill's scope was expanded from general early voting assistance to explicitly include the nursing home early voting program.
SCOPE
Added specific provisions requiring registrars to seek approval for commissioners to assist with the nursing home early voting program.
REQUIREMENT
Added a requirement for nursing home voting commissioners to take a specific oath of office and complete a confidentiality affidavit regarding voter information.
ELIGIBILITY
Modified the application of existing early voting commissioner rules to explicitly include those assisting with nursing home voting.
TECHNICAL
Added a reference to R.S. 18:1333 to legally link the new commissioner requirements to the nursing home early voting program.
Floor votes · Senate May 12, 2026 · House Mar 25, 2026
How they voted
34–0
Passed · 6 other
Total votes 40
May 12, 2026
D
Democratic12
66% 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 12, 2026
Upper · Passed
Rules suspended. Read by title, passed by a vote of 33 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.
upper
Apr 29, 2026
Committee
Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.
upper
Apr 28, 2026
Upper · Passed
Reported favorably.
upper
Mar 25, 2026
Lower · Passed
Read third time by title, amended, roll called on final passage, yeas 102, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.
lower
Mar 18, 2026
Lower · Passed
Reported favorably (10-0).
lower
Mar 9, 2026
Committee
Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on House and Governmental Affairs.
lower
Feb 26, 2026
Committee
Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on House and Governmental Affairs.
lower
1 primary · 1 co-sponsor
Sponsors
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