HB 758 Louisiana House · 2026 Regular Session

ENVIRONMENT/QUALITY: Provides with respect to the Department of Environmental Quality fees (EN +$12,383,369 SG RV See Note)

HB 758 amends Louisiana's environmental fee structure for the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), focusing on how fees are calculated and adjusted. It requires the DEQ to establish fees using a cost-based formula (covering activities like permitting, monitoring, and lab accreditation) and limits annual fee increases to 5% or the Consumer Price Index. Specific fee examples include $726 for lab accreditation applications and $363 per major test category, with adjustments needing department rulemaking. The bill directly affects environmental laboratories, businesses seeking permits, and entities requiring DEQ environmental reviews. It repeals outdated fee provisions and mandates that fee changes follow specific regulatory processes.
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 27, 2026 Signed May 11, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 4 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB758 Original HB758 Act · 5 edits
MODERATE
The bill was finalized into an enacted Act, updating the Department of Environmental Quality's fee structure for commercial laboratory accreditation and adding new fees for environmental condition reviews. The changes establish specific dollar amounts for laboratory fees based on accreditation type and location, while also creating a new fee for reviewing environmental conditions of real estate, capped at the overtime salary rate plus indirect costs with a $1,650 minimum.
Scope change
The bill's scope expanded to include new fee categories for third-party audits, proficiency samples, and environmental condition reviews of real estate, in addition to modifying existing laboratory accreditation fees.
FISCAL

Updated the list of statutes amended to reflect the final enacted version, removing references to repealed sections and adding new subsection numbers.

Established specific fee amounts for commercial laboratory accreditation, including an application fee of $726, annual fees ranging from $290 to $363, and higher fees for out-of-state laboratories receiving national accreditation.

Added fees for bioassay/biomonitoring, third-party audits, and proficiency samples that must be purchased directly by the laboratories.

REQUIREMENT

Created new fee requirements for environmental condition reviews of real estate, allowing the department to charge based on overtime salary rates plus indirect costs, with a minimum fee of $1,650.

ELIGIBILITY

Modified fee structures to differentiate between in-state and out-of-state laboratories, charging higher rates for out-of-state labs seeking national or state accreditation.

Floor votes · Senate May 5, 2026 · House Mar 30, 2026

How they voted

352
Passed · 3 other
Total votes 40
May 5, 2026
D Democratic12
11 Yea 1
91% Yea
R Republican28
24 Yea 2 Nay 2
85% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
22
Key actions
5
Committee
7
May 5, 2026
Upper · Passed
Read by title, passed by a vote of 34 yeas and 2 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.
upper
Apr 21, 2026
Committee
Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.
upper
Apr 20, 2026
Upper · Passed
Reported favorably.
upper
Apr 15, 2026
Committee
Read by title. Recommitted to the Committee on Revenue and Fiscal Affairs.
upper
Apr 14, 2026
Upper · Passed
Rules suspended. Reported favorably.
upper
Mar 30, 2026
Lower · Passed
Read third time by title, amended, roll called on final passage, yeas 75, nays 22. The bill, having received two-thirds vote of the elected members, was finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.
lower
Mar 24, 2026
Lower · Passed
Reported with amendments (16-0).
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 · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Ken Brass
Ken Brass
DDemocratic
LA
58