HB 727 Louisiana House · 2026 Regular Session

ENVIRONMENT: Provides for the burning of untreated, unpainted dimensional lumber

HB 727 prevents Louisiana's Department of Environmental Quality from banning the burning of untreated, unpainted dimensional lumber (like wood framing materials used in construction). This directly affects construction companies, property owners, and contractors who manage debris from building projects. The bill requires the Department to update or remove any conflicting rules in the Administrative Code that would otherwise restrict this specific type of burning. It creates a clear exception for this debris type, making it legal to burn without new permits or approvals under current regulations.

Issues: ✗ Environment

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

Apr 2026

House Passage

May 2026

Senate Passage

May 2026

Signed into Law

May 2026

Introduced Feb 27, 2026 Signed May 22, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 4 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB727 Original → HB727 Act 315 · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was expanded to include more sponsors and broadened its scope to allow the burning of wood mats in addition to untreated lumber. It also changed the legislative language from amending conflicting rules to explicitly requiring the creation of new rules and regulations to manage this practice.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded to include wood mats alongside untreated dimensional lumber, and the mechanism for implementation was clarified to require the promulgation of specific rules rather than just removing conflicting ones.

ELIGIBILITY

Added 'wood mats' to the list of construction debris that can be burned, expanding the scope of the exemption.

REQUIREMENT

Changed the requirement from amending or removing conflicting rules to actively promulgating new rules and regulations to implement the section.

TECHNICAL

Added multiple co-sponsors to the bill, increasing the number of representatives supporting the measure.

Floor votes · Senate May 7, 2026 · House Mar 30, 2026

How they voted

36–0

Passed · 4 other

Total votes 40

May 7, 2026

D Democratic12

10 Yea 2

83% Yea

R Republican28

26 Yea 2

92% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

May 13, 2026

Lower · Passed

Read by title, roll called, yeas 96, nays 0, Senate amendments concurred in.

lower

May 7, 2026

Upper · Passed

Rules suspended. The amended bill was read by title, passed by a vote of 35 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

upper

Apr 27, 2026

Committee

Committee amendments read and adopted. Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.

upper

Apr 22, 2026

Upper · Passed

Reported with amendments.

upper

Mar 30, 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 24, 2026

Lower · Passed

Reported favorably (12-0).

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 · 16 co-sponsors