Budget & Taxes

in committee · Louisiana · House Mar 9, 2026

HB 898: TAX/INCOME TAX: Provides for a reduction in the rate of the state tax levied on individuals under certain circumstances (OR DECREASE GF RV See Note)

HB 898, the "Louisiana Income Tax Elimination Act" (LITE Act), would reduce Louisiana's individual income tax rate starting in 2027 under specific conditions. The reduction equals 50% of one-time state funds certified as nonrecurring revenue by the budget committee and confirmed by revenue estimators. If the calculated rate drop would be 0.05% or less, no change occurs. The Department of Revenue must publish the new rate online and in official tax tables. This applies directly to Louisiana residents filing individual income tax returns.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill explicitly reduces individual income tax rate by 50% of nonrecurring revenue, providing direct tax relief per its title and summary.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Business Taxes Income Tax

Track

in committee · Louisiana · House Mar 9, 2026

HB 566: APPROPRIATIONS: Prohibits use of state funds in support of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions policies (OR DECREASE RV See Note)

This bill prohibits Louisiana state agencies from using state funds for any programs or activities supporting net-zero greenhouse gas emissions goals. It broadly defines such goals to include policies aligned with international climate agreements (like the Paris Agreement), renewable energy incentives, electric vehicle programs, and methane regulations outlined in Louisiana's 2022 Climate Action Plan. Exceptions allow funding for federal compliance, pre-existing contracts, pollution reduction initiatives, and emergency spending unrelated to net-zero targets. The restriction applies to state funds for fiscal years starting July 1, 2026, and expires January 1, 2031.

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesDefunds climate programs by prohibiting state funds for net-zero policies, including renewable energy incentives and methane regulations, directly restricting budget allocation.95% confidence ✗ EnergyOpposes EnergyBill explicitly prohibits state funding for net-zero policies, renewable incentives, EV programs, and methane regulations from Louisiana's Climate Action Plan, directly defunding clean energy initiatives.95% confidence ✗ EnvironmentOpposes EnvironmentProhibits state funding for net-zero emissions programs including renewable energy incentives, EV programs, and methane regulations, directly restricting environmental protection efforts.95% confidence ✗ TransportationOpposes TransportationProhibits state funding for electric vehicle programs, a core transportation initiative under the bill's definition of net-zero policies.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Electric Vehicles Renewable Energy Climate Change Electric Vehicles

Track

in committee · Louisiana · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 335: LEGISLATORS: Authorizes additional funding for legislative assistants for legislators representing four or more parishes. (8/1/26) (EG INCREASE GF EX See Note)

SB 335 authorizes extra annual funding for Louisiana legislators whose districts cover more than three parishes, specifically to hire additional legislative assistants. It requires the Legislative Budgetary Control Council to determine a yearly amount per additional parish beyond three, which must be used solely for hiring more staff - not for increasing base salaries. This directly affects legislators representing large, multi-parish districts, providing targeted resources to support their staff needs. The bill does not change existing salary structures but adds a defined funding mechanism for multi-parish districts.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAuthorizes additional annual funding for legislative staff hiring, directly increasing a specific budget appropriation for government operations.90% confidence

Track

signed · Louisiana · Senate Jun 1, 2026

SB 143: LAW ENFORCEMENT: Provides relative to funding of bulletproof vests for peace officers. (gov sig) (EN SEE FISC NOTE EX)

SB 143 requires Louisiana's Department of Public Safety to provide bulletproof vests to all "peace officers" (full-time state, municipal, sheriff, or public agency employees whose duties include enforcing laws and making arrests) upon request. It creates a dedicated "Special Protective Equipment Fund" to finance the vests, funded annually by $8.5 million from the state general fund starting July 2026, plus donations or grants. The bill mandates vests meet U.S. Department of Justice standards and must be wholly manufactured in countries part of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). This law directly affects all eligible law enforcement personnel by ensuring access to standardized protective gear through state-funded provisions.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates $8.5M annually from state general fund for officer safety equipment, increasing public safety funding per budget management criteria.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProvides bulletproof vests for peace officers, enhancing workplace safety for law enforcement workers per DOJ standards.90% confidence

Sub-Topics State Budget

signed · Louisiana · House Jun 18, 2026

HB 312: APPROPRIATIONS/SUPPLEML: Makes supplemental appropriations for Fiscal Year 2025-2026

HB 312 allocates $144 million in supplemental funding from the 2024-2025 state budget surplus to pay down existing pension obligations for Louisiana's state retirement systems. It directly affects retirees covered by the Louisiana School Employees' Retirement System, Louisiana State Police Retirement System, Louisiana State Employees' Retirement System, and Teachers' Retirement System. The bill uses specific dollar amounts ($4.8M, $1.8M, $60M, and $77.7M respectively) to cover unpaid pension liabilities for Fiscal Year 2025-2026, drawing solely from the state's surplus funds without new taxes or fees. This is a routine budget adjustment to fulfill existing financial commitments, not a new policy change.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesUses $144M surplus to fulfill pension obligations, demonstrating fiscal responsibility and funding essential retiree benefits without tax changes.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationFunds Teachers' Retirement System pensions ($77.7M), directly supporting educator benefits per bill's allocation to the Teachers' Retirement System.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Pensions State Budget

signed · Louisiana · House Jun 1, 2026

HB 802: WATER/RESOURCES: Provides with respect to the management of watershed restoration (EN DECREASE GF RV See Note)

HB 802 establishes Louisiana's Watershed Restoration and Conservation Fund to support the cleanup and long-term management of lands and watersheds damaged by sand and gravel mining operations, with priority for flood-prone areas. The fund is financed by 100% of sand and gravel severance tax revenues (after constitutional allocations) plus donations, and it can only provide grants to legally created watershed entities that manage flood risks and have local representation. These eligible groups must maintain approved master plans, have floodplain management authority, and include experts in water resources. The fund requires annual reports to natural resources committees detailing how money is spent. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill directs 100% of sand/gravel severance tax revenues to fund watershed restoration, explicitly using existing tax revenue for environmental programs.95% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill creates a dedicated fund for watershed restoration and cleanup of mining-damaged lands, prioritizing flood-prone areas and conservation management per its title and summary.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Coastal & Flood Protection Conservation Water Quality

signed · Louisiana · Senate Apr 30, 2026

SB 340: TAX/AD VALOREM: Requires the tax assessor of each parish to provide property owners with a form for permanent registration of the homestead exemption. (gov sig) (EN SEE FISC NOTE LF RV See Note)

SB 340 requires tax assessors in 46 specific Louisiana parishes to provide property owners with a permanent registration form for the homestead exemption. This change eliminates the need for homeowners to reapply annually for the exemption, streamlining the process for those who qualify. The bill directly affects homeowners in the listed parishes who currently qualify for the homestead exemption under Louisiana law (R.S. 47:1703). It takes effect upon gubernatorial approval or legislative override of a veto, as specified in Section 2.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesStreamlines homestead exemption process, reducing administrative burden for qualifying homeowners and facilitating existing tax relief under Louisiana law.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Property Tax

died · Louisiana · House Mar 24, 2026

HB 252: FUNDS/FUNDING: Dedicates severance tax revenue from oil and gas produced from certain stripper wells in the Caddo Pine Island Field to the Oilfield Site Restoration Fund and provides for the use of those monies (OR -$1,708,285 GF RV See Note)

HB 252 redirects 100% of severance tax revenue from small-volume oil and gas wells (known as "stripper wells") in Louisiana's Caddo Pine Island Field to the Oilfield Site Restoration Fund, instead of depositing it into the state general fund. This dedicated funding stream will specifically support oilfield site restoration and plugging orphan wells within the Caddo Pine Island Field. The bill modifies existing law to ensure these tax revenues - collected from producers in that specific field - are exclusively used for cleanup and restoration work there. It does not create new taxes or fees but changes the allocation of existing revenue.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesRedirects severance tax revenue to dedicated fund for oilfield restoration, explicitly funding a specific program within fiscal management per bill's purpose.95% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentRedirects oil/gas severance taxes to restore sites and plug orphan wells, reducing environmental hazards from abandoned oilfields.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Revenue State Budget

Track

signed · Louisiana · House May 15, 2026

HB 370: AGRICULTURE/GRAIN: Provides for the assessment rate on agricultural commodities for the Grain and Cotton Indemnity Fund (EN +$626,130 SD RV See Note)

HB 370 increases the assessment rate for Louisiana's Grain and Cotton Indemnity Fund from 0.04% to 0.08% on the value of regulated agricultural commodities sold to grain dealers and cotton merchants. The bill requires these dealers to pay the assessment at the first point of sale to the state commission. This directly affects grain and cotton dealers who handle regulated commodities in Louisiana, as they will pay a higher fee on each transaction. The change aims to bolster the fund, which provides financial assistance to farmers when crop losses occur due to natural disasters. The bill does not alter eligibility for fund benefits or the fund's purpose.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesIncreases tax assessment rate (0.04% to 0.08%) to fund Grain and Cotton Indemnity Fund, bolstering state fiscal management and program funding.95% confidence

in committee · Louisiana · House May 20, 2026

HB 646: APPROPRIATIONS: (Constitutional Amendment) Limits the amount of state general fund that may be appropriated in a fiscal year (EG SEE FISC NOTE GF EX See Note)

HB 646 is a proposed constitutional amendment that would establish a spending limit for Louisiana's state general fund. It requires the legislature to set an annual limit based on Louisiana's personal income growth rate, with a new "Government Growth Limit" starting in 2027-2028 restricting how much recurring revenue can fund ongoing expenses. The amendment must be approved by voters in the November 2026 election to take effect.

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesBill imposes constitutional spending limits on state general fund appropriations, restricting government expenditure growth through mandatory fiscal caps.95% confidence

Sub-Topics State Budget

Track