HB 721 Louisiana House · 2026 Regular Session

SEAFOOD: Provides relative to shrimp harvesting

HB 721 modifies Louisiana's commercial shrimp harvesting rules by allowing licensed shrimpers to begin trawling in Vermilion Bay, East Cote Blanche Bay, and West Cote Blanche Bay at 5:30 a.m. during open seasons, instead of the previous nighttime ban. This change specifically affects commercial shrimp harvesters operating in those three bays, removing the prohibition on night shrimping that previously restricted operations from sunset to sunrise. The bill amends existing law (R.S. 56:499.4) to create this exception, while maintaining other nighttime restrictions in different areas like Atchafalaya Bay. The proposal is currently pending in the Natural Resources and Environment Committee after being prefied on February 27, 2026.

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

May 2026

House Passage

Mar 2026

Senate Passage

May 2026

Signed into Law

May 2026

Introduced Feb 27, 2026 Signed May 22, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB721 Original → HB721 Act 314 · 1 edit

MINOR

HB 721 was converted from an original draft bill into an enrolled act (Act No. 314), finalizing its passage. The substantive policy content remains consistent: it creates an exception to Louisiana's nighttime shrimp trawling ban, allowing commercial harvesters to begin fishing at 5:30 a.m. in Vermilion Bay, East Cote Blanche Bay, and West Cote Blanche Bay during open seasons, even if that time is before sunrise.

Scope change

The bill's scope and applicability are unchanged; it continues to apply to licensed commercial shrimp harvesters in the three specified bays during open shrimp seasons.

TECHNICAL

The document format was updated from an 'Original' draft to an 'Enrolled' Act, including the addition of signatures from the Speaker of the House, President of the Senate, and Governor, which signifies the bill has been officially approved and enacted into law.

Floor votes · Senate May 13, 2026 · House Mar 31, 2026

How they voted

37–0

Passed · 3 other

Total votes 40

May 13, 2026

D Democratic12

10 Yea 2

83% Yea

R Republican28

27 Yea 1

96% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

May 13, 2026

Upper · Passed

Rules suspended. Read by title, passed by a vote of 36 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

Mar 31, 2026

Lower · Passed

Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 103, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.

lower

Mar 25, 2026

Lower · Passed

Reported favorably (15-0-1).

lower

Mar 9, 2026

Committee

Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Natural Resources and Environment.

lower

Feb 27, 2026

Committee

Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Natural Resources and Environment.

lower

1 primary · 1 co-sponsor