SB 219 Louisiana Senate · 2026 Regular Session

HEALTH DEPARTMENT: Creates the office of health and nutrition within the Louisiana Department of Health. (gov sig) (EN NO IMPACT See Note)

SB 219 creates a new "Office of Health and Nutrition" within the Louisiana Department of Health. This office will coordinate existing state programs including the WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) supplemental nutrition program, the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP), and physical fitness initiatives. It establishes an executive director who reports directly to the Health Secretary and outlines the office's duties to lead and develop policy for these nutrition and health programs. The bill amends existing statutes to formally integrate this office into the department's structure without changing eligibility or funding for the programs it coordinates.

Issues: ✓ Healthcare

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

Apr 2026

Senate Passage

May 2026

House Passage

May 2026

Signed into Law

May 2026

Introduced Feb 26, 2026 Signed May 22, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 4 comparisons

What changed between versions

SB219 Original → SB219 Act 368 · 2 edits

MINOR

The bill was formally enrolled and enacted as Act No. 368, transitioning from a draft to an official law. Substantively, the legislation reorganized the internal structure of the Louisiana Department of Health by explicitly adding the 'office of management and finance' and the 'office of aging and adult services' to the list of offices under the Secretary's direct supervision. Additionally, it clarified the specific duties of the new Office of Health and Nutrition, assigning it responsibility for the Governor's Council on Physical Fitness, WIC, and CSFP, while also mandating policy development to improve healthy food access for SNAP recipients.

Scope change

The scope of the bill's applicability was expanded to include the newly named offices of management and finance and aging and adult services within the Department of Health's supervisory structure.

SCOPE

Added the 'office of management and finance' and 'office of aging and adult services' to the list of offices under the Secretary's direct supervision.

REQUIREMENT

Modified the specific responsibilities of the Office of Health and Nutrition to include leading the Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and developing policies to increase healthy food consumption among SNAP recipients.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 31, 2026 · House May 11, 2026

How they voted

36–0

Passed · 4 other

Total votes 40

Mar 31, 2026

D Democratic12

11 Yea 1

91% Yea

R Republican28

25 Yea 3

89% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

May 18, 2026

Upper · Passed

Amendments proposed by the House read and concurred in by a vote of 37 yeas and 0 nays.

upper

May 11, 2026

Lower · Passed

Read third time by title, amended, roll called on final passage, yeas 96, nays 0. Finally passed, ordered to the Senate.

lower

May 5, 2026

Introduced

Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments.

lower

Apr 29, 2026

Lower · Passed

Reported favorably (11-0). Referred to the Legislative Bureau.

lower

Apr 7, 2026

Committee

Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Health and Welfare.

lower

Mar 31, 2026

Upper · Passed

Senate floor amendments read and adopted. Read by title and passed by a vote of 35 yeas and 0 nays; ordered reengrossed and sent to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

upper

Mar 25, 2026

Upper · Passed

Reported with amendments.

upper

Mar 9, 2026

Committee

Introduced in the Senate; read by title. Rules suspended. Read second time and referred to the Committee on Health and Welfare.

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors