SB 435 Louisiana Senate · 2026 Regular Session

CHILDREN: Establishes the Commission on Fatherhood Engagement. (8/1/26)

This bill establishes the Louisiana Commission on Fatherhood Engagement within the governor's office to promote responsible fatherhood and support fathers across the state. The commission will consist of 16 members representing various state agencies, elected officials, community organizations, and faith groups, who will serve two-year terms without pay. Its main duties include raising awareness about fatherhood challenges, coordinating programs that help fathers build parenting skills and access employment services, organizing a state summit every four years, and submitting annual reports to the legislature with funding requests. The commission will focus on improving father involvement in child custody proceedings, supporting incarcerated fathers, and collecting better data on fatherhood engagement across state agencies. The law will remain in effect until January 1, 2031.

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Mar 2026

Committee Review

May 2026

Senate Passage

May 2026

House Passage

May 2026

Signed into Law

May 2026

Introduced Mar 30, 2026 Signed May 29, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

SB435 Original → SB435 Act 512 · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was updated from a draft version to its final enrolled form, incorporating significant changes to the Commission on Fatherhood Engagement's membership and operational duties. The most critical substantive change is the addition of a new requirement for the commission to implement specific recommendations from a 2025 Senate Concurrent Resolution, alongside a shift in the chairperson election schedule from odd-numbered to even-numbered years. Additionally, the list of appointing officials was expanded to include more legislators and community representatives, broadening the commission's diversity and oversight.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded by adding a specific mandate to act on recommendations from a 2025 Senate Concurrent Resolution and by increasing the number of commission members to include additional faith and parenting organization representatives.

REQUIREMENT

The commission is now explicitly required to implement recommendations from Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 9 of the 2025 Regular Session.

TIMELINE

The schedule for electing the commission chairperson was changed from every odd-numbered year to every even-numbered year.

ELIGIBILITY

The commission membership was expanded to include an additional representative from a faith community and a representative from a parenting education organization, both appointed by the governor.

The list of appointing officials was updated to include Senators Barrow, Boudreaux, Cathey, Connick, Duplessis, Henry, Mizell, Morris, Price, Selders, and Talbot, and Representatives Beaullieu, Billings, Boyd, Chassion, Farnum, Knox, Larvadain, Lyons, Marcelle, Thomas, Walters, and Wyble.

TECHNICAL

Draft session headers and placeholder text were removed and replaced with official enrolled act formatting.

Floor votes · Senate Apr 22, 2026 · House May 19, 2026

How they voted

38–0

Passed · 2 other

Total votes 40

Apr 22, 2026

D Democratic12

10 Yea 2

83% Yea

R Republican28

28 Yea

100% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

May 25, 2026

Upper · Passed

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

upper

May 19, 2026

Lower · Passed

Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 88, nays 6. Finally passed, ordered to the Senate.

lower

May 13, 2026

Introduced

Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments.

lower

May 12, 2026

Lower · Passed

Reported with amendments (13-0). Referred to the Legislative Bureau.

lower

Apr 27, 2026

Committee

Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on House and Governmental Affairs.

lower

Apr 22, 2026

Upper · Passed

Read by title, passed by a vote of 37 yeas and 0 nays, and sent to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

upper

Apr 15, 2026

Upper · Passed

Reported favorably.

upper

Mar 30, 2026

Introduced

Rules suspended. Introduced in the Senate. Read by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.

upper

1 primary · 23 co-sponsors