Louisiana 2026 Regular Session Status: Passed House Bipartisan · 11 R · 1 D cosponsors

HB 841 — PROPERTY/EXPROPRIATION: Provides for expropriation procedures (EG SEE FISC NOTE SD RV See Note)

Last action — Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Natural Resources.

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed House
  4. 4
    Passed Senate
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has passed the House. Introduced February 27, 2026. It now moves to the second chamber.

Next likely step: consideration and a floor vote in the Senate.

Odds of enactment

Moderate chance

Based on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a moderate chance of becoming law.

Upgrade to see the exact probability and what's driving it.

A statistical estimate from our own model of past outcomes — an insight, not a guarantee. Policymaking is volatile.

Prognosis

Likely to advance 74% · high confidence

  • Passed House

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 12 sponsors

    1 primary, 11 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Bipartisan support

    Sponsored across 2 parties (11 R · 1 D) — cross-party backing.

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 1 recorded vote so far.

Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

174 added · 129 removed

Plain-language change summary

The recent amendment to Bill HB 841 made several key changes to the expropriation procedures. Notably, it introduces a requirement for appraisers to provide a sworn statement confirming they have no financial interest in the property beyond being paid for their services. Additionally, the amended version removes the provision that would have made expropriating authorities liable for court costs, which means they may no longer incur these expenses if they initiate proceedings. These changes aim to enhance transparency and accountability in the expropriation process, ensuring that property owners are fairly compensated by impartial appraisers while shifting some financial responsibility from authorities.

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Latest
HLS 26RS-761 ORIGINAL Regular Session HOUSE BILL NO.
HLS 26RS-761 ENGROSSED Regular Session HOUSE BILL NO.
841 BY REPRESENTATIVE GEYMANN PROPERTY/EXPROPRIATION:
841 BY REPRESENTATIVES GEYMANN, BRAUD, CARRIER, COATES, DEWITT, DOMANGUE,TRAVISJOHNSON,KERNER,JACOBLANDRY,MCCORMICK, ORGERON, AND SAWYER PROPERTY/EXPROPRIATION:
Provides for expropriation procedures AN ACT To enact R.S.
Provides for expropriation procedures AN ACT To amend and reenact R.S.
19:2.1(C), 2.2(A)(1)(d), and 2.3 and R.S.
30:1108(C)(1), to enact R.S.
30:4.4, relative to expropriation procedures;
19:2.2(A)(1)(d) and R.S.
to establish a code of conduct for pipeline owners and operators issued a certificate granting expropriation authority;
30:4.4, and to repeal R.S.
30:1108(C)(2), relative to expropriation procedures;
to establish acodeofconductforownersandoperatorsissuedacertificategrantingexpropriation authority;
to provide for court costs;
to provide for penalties;
to establish procedures for contesting the validity of a proposed taking;
19:2.1(C), 2.2(A)(1)(d), and 2.3 and R.S.
19:2.2(A)(1)(d) is herebyenacted to read as follows:
30:4.4 are herebyenacted to read as follows:
§2.2.
§2.1.
Petition for expropriation;
place of filing;
contents;
claims for damages;
prescription * * * C.
The court costs for any expropriation proceeding initiated by an expropriating authority identified in R.S.
19.2 other than the state or its political corporations or subdivisions, shall be borne by the expropriating authority.
* * * §2.2.
Before exercising the rights of expropriation provided byR.S.
Before exercising the rights of expropriation provided by R.S.
Page 1 of 5 CODING:
(1) Provide the owner whose property is to be taken with the following information from its appraisal or evaluation as to the amount of compensation due the owner for the full extent of his loss:
* * * (d) A sworn statement that the appraiser is a disinterested third party with no monetary interest in any transaction related to the expropriation other than undertaking a fair and accurate appraisal of the landowner's property and receiving a reasonable fee for the appraiser's services.
* * * Page 1 of 6 CODING:
HLS 26RS-761 ORIGINAL HB NO.
HLS 26RS-761 ENGROSSED HB NO.
841 (1) Provide the owner whose property is to be taken with the following information from its appraisal or evaluation as to the amount of compensation due the owner for the full extent of his loss:
841 Section 2.
* * * (d) A sworn statement that the appraiser is a disinterested third party with no monetary interest in any transaction related to the expropriation other than undertaking a fair and accurate appraisal of the landowner's property.
* * * §2.3.
Contesting the validity of proposed taking A.
Any defendant in an expropriation proceeding desiring to contest the validity of the taking on any of the following grounds may file a motion to dismiss the suit at any time prior to a final judgement:
(1) The plaintiff is not an expropriating authority under R.S.
19:2.
(2) Theexpropriatingauthoritydid not negotiate in good faith priorto filing suit.
(3) Theexpropriatingauthoritydidnot complywith therequirementsofthis Part or the requirements of any other applicable law that imposes duties on the expropriating authority prior to initiating an expropriation proceeding.
(4) The expropriating authority acted arbitrarily, capriciously, or otherwise in bad faith.
B.
Failure of a defendant to file a motion to dismiss on these grounds provided in Subsection A of this Section shall not constitute a waiver of any rights to bring a separate action on these grounds.
C.
A defendant filing a motion to dismiss pursuant to this Section shall be entitledtodismissalwithprejudiceifitisestablishedthattheexpropriatingauthority has used threats, coercion,harassment, or other manipulative tactics under the color of law to pressure the defendant into acceptingan offer.
Show all 140 changed rows (100 more)
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Section 2.
30:1108(C)(1) is hereby amended and reenacted and R.S.
Pipeline certificates;
Pipeline and other certificates;
code of conduct Page 2 of 5 CODING:
code of conduct A.
Wordsinstruckthroughtypearedeletionsfromexistinglaw;wordsunderscored are additions.
Any pipeline or other owner or operator issued a certificate pursuant to this Subtitle that confers the right to expropriate property shall, in addition to any other legal requirements, comply with the following prior to exercising that right:
HLS 26RS-761 ORIGINAL HB NO.
(1) Provide written notice to the landowner or landowners of the intent to acquire property or property rights.
841 A.
This notice shall be sent to all such property owners whose addresses are known, unless those owners have jointly designated a representative to receive such communications.
Any pipeline owner or operator issued a certificate pursuant to this Subtitle that confers the right to expropriate property shall, in addition to any other legal requirements, comply with the following prior to exercising that right:
(1) Provide written notice to the landowner of the intent to acquire property or propertyrights.
The notice shall be sent to all property owners whose addresses are known, unless those owners have jointly designated a representative to receive such communications.
(d) A clear statement of the owner or operator’s interest in the property.
(d) A clear statement of the owner or operator's interest in the property.
(e) A copyof the statutoryrequirements the certificate holder is required to perform prior to initiating an expropriation proceeding.
(e) A copyof the statutoryrequirements the certificate holder is required to comply with prior to initiating an expropriation proceeding.
In the course of such negotiations, the owner or Page 2 of 6 CODING:
Wordsinstruckthroughtypearedeletionsfromexistinglaw;wordsunderscored are additions.
HLS 26RS-761 ENGROSSED HB NO.
841 operator shall not threaten the imposition of attorneys fees or costs in connection with any expropriation proceeding.
Page 3 of 5 CODING:
(b) A legal description of the property and the specific interest to be acquired.
Wordsinstruckthroughtypearedeletionsfromexistinglaw;wordsunderscored are additions.
HLS 26RS-761 ORIGINAL HB NO.
841 (b) A legal description of the property and the specific interest to be acquired.
(5) Allow the landowner or their representative at least thirty calendar days from receipt of the written offer to respond with additional information or a counteroffer.
(5) Allowthelandownerortheirrepresentativeat leastfifteencalendardays from delivery of the written offer, or from the sender's receipt of notification of a failed attempt to deliver the written offer by United States certified mail or commercial courier, to respond with additional information or a counteroffer.
Ifthesecretaryfindsthatanyowneroroperatorhasfailedto complywith this Section or has otherwise misused or abused the authority delegated to them as an expropriating authority under a certificate issued, the secretarymay, after notice to the owner or operator and an opportunity to be heard, revoke the certificate and impose penalties for a violation of this Title pursuant to R.S.
Ifthe secretaryfinds, afternotice andanopportunityto beheard,thatany owner or operator has failed to comply with this Section or has otherwise misused or abused the authority delegated to them as an expropriating authority under a certificateissued,theowneroroperatorshallbesubjecttothepenaltiesprovidedfor in this Subsection.
30:18.
(1) The secretarymayrevoke anycertificate granting the owner or operator expropriating authority.
(2)(a) Any person found to have violated this Section shall be liable to the department for a civil penaltyas follows:
(i) One thousand dollars for the first violation.
(ii) Two thousand dollars for the second violation.
(iii) Ten thousand dollars for a third or subsequent violation.
(b) The penalty shall be assessed by the secretary by written notice.
The secretary or the attorney general may bring a civil action to recover any penalties assessed pursuant to this Paragraph.
Page 3 of 6 CODING:
Wordsinstruckthroughtypearedeletionsfromexistinglaw;wordsunderscored are additions.
HLS 26RS-761 ENGROSSED HB NO.
841 (c) Penaltiescollectedbythe department for a violation of this Sectionshall be deposited into the Oil and Gas Regulatory Dedicated Fund Account pursuant to the provisions of R.S.
30:21.
(3) The department shall maintain on its website a list of persons found to have violated this Section.
* * * §1108.
Eminent domain;
expropriation * * * C.(1) Inaddition to therequirementsofParagraph(2)ofthisSubsectionand anyotherpowerofeminentdomainauthorizedbylaw,eminentTheeminentdomain authorityauthorizedunderthisChaptershallbeexercisedpursuanttotheprocedures foundin R.S.
19:2 etseq.
and R.S.
30:4.4.
Notwithstanding anylaw tothecontrary, expropriationhearingsconductedpursuanttothisChaptershallbeheardintheparish in which the property subject to the expropriation is situated.
* * * Section 3.
R.S.
30:1108(C)(2) is hereby repealed in its entirety.
1:13(B) and 24:177(E)] HB 841 Original 2026 Regular Session Geymann Abstract:
1:13(B) and 24:177(E)] HB 841 Engrossed 2026 Regular Session Geymann Abstract:
Establishesadditionalpre-expropriationrequirementsforpipelineoperatorsthat areissuedacertificatebytheDept.ofConservationandEnergythatconferstheright of eminent domain, authorizes the secretaryto enforce those requirements, requires that private expropriating authorities bear the court costs for an expropriation proceeding, and provides procedures to contest a proposed expropriation on the grounds of bad faith of an expropriating authority.
Establishes a code of conduct for pre-expropriation procedural requirements applicable to owners and operators issued a certificate bythe Dept.
of Conservation and Energy that confers expropriating authority, authorizes the secretaryto enforce the code of conduct, and establishes penalties for violations of the code of conduct.
Proposed law adds a new requirement that a company authorized to expropriate under present law, excluding public entities, will be responsible for paying court costs of an expropriation proceeding.
Proposed law retains present law and adds a requirement that the expropriating authority provide the prrderty owner with a sworn statement from the appraiser that they are a disinterested 3 party with no interest in the expropriation other than a professional one.
Proposed law retains present law and adds a requirement that the expropriating authority provide the property owner with a sworn statement from the appraiser that they are a Page 4 of 6 CODING:
Page 4 of 5 CODING:
HLS 26RS-761 ORIGINAL HB NO.
HLS 26RS-761 ENGROSSED HB NO.
841 Proposedlawprovidesaprocedureforadefendantinanexpropriationproceedingtocontest the validity of a proposed taking on the following grounds:
841 rd disinterested 3 partywith no interest in the expropriation other than a professional interest and reasonable fees for their appraisal services.
(1) The plaintiff is not an expropriating authority under present law.
Present law authorizes the Dept.
(2) The expropriating authority did not negotiate in good faith prior to filing suit.
of Conservation and Energy to regulate energy-related industriesandauthorizesthesecretaryto issuecertificatesofconvenienceandnecessityand certificates of transportation which give the certificate holder the right to exercise eminent domain.
(3) The expropriating authority did not satisfy all legal requirements prior to initiating the expropriation proceeding.
(4) Theexpropriatingauthorityacted arbitrarily, capriciously, or otherwise in badfaith.
PresentlawauthorizestheDepartmentofConservationandEnergytoregulatepipelinesand authorizes thesecretaryto issuecertificatesofconvenienceandnecessityand certificatesof transportation for pipelines, which give the certificate holder the right to exercise eminent domain.
Proposedlawestablishesacodeofconductforpipelineownersandoperatorswhohavebeen issued a certificate bythe secretarywhich confers the right to expropriate.
Proposed law establishes a code of conduct for owners and operators who have been issued a certificate bythe secretarywhich confers the right to expropriate.
Proposedlawprohibitstheuseofthreatsthatthepropertyownerwillhavetopaycourtcosts and attorneys fees in an expropriation proceeding during negotiations.
Proposed law requires that a landowner be given at least 30 days to respond to a written offer.
Proposedlawrequiresthatalandownerbegivenatleast15daystorespondtoawrittenoffer and provides that the 15 days starts on the date the offer is delivered to the property owner orthedatethesenderreceivesnotificationofafailedattempttodelivertheofferbycertified mail of commercial courier.
Proposed law allows the secretary to revoke a pipeline certificate and impose penalties provided under present law on the certificate holder if they fail to comply with the pre- expropriation requirements under proposed law or if they misuse or abuse the eminent domain authority delegated to them by the certificate.
Proposed law provides that a violation of the code of conduct or any other misuse or abuse of the expropriating authority delegated to them by the certificate will subject the violator to the following civil penalties after notice and an opportunityto be heard:
(Adds R.S.
(1) Thesecretarymayrevokethecertificateunderwhichtheowneroroperatorisacting.
19:2.1(C), 2.2(A)(1)(d), and 2.3 and R.S.
(2) The secretary must impose a fine of $1,000 for a first offense, $2,000 for a second offense, and $10,000 for a third or subsequent offense.
30:4.4) Page 5 of 5 CODING:
(3) The department must maintain a list of persons who have violated proposed law on their website.
Proposed law provides that the secretary may assess fines by written notice and that the collection of fines may be enforced by civil suit brought by the secretary or the attorney general.
Page 5 of 6 CODING:
Wordsinstruckthroughtypearedeletionsfromexistinglaw;wordsunderscored are additions.
HLS 26RS-761 ENGROSSED HB NO.
841 Proposedlawrequiresthatanyfinescollectedbythedept.bedepositedinto theOil andGas Regulatory Dedicated Fund Account.
Present law establishes pre-expropriation procedures applicable to carbon dioxide storage facility and pipelines operators.
Proposed law repeals present law and provides that the exercise of the right of eminent domainforcarbondioxidesequestrationpurposesissubjecttothecodeofconductcontained in proposed law.
(Amends R.S.
30:1108(C)(1), Adds R.S.
19:2.2(A)(1)(d) and R.S.
30:4.4, Repeals R.S.
30:1108(C)(2)) Summary of Amendments Adopted by House TheCommitteeAmendmentsProposedbyHouseCommittee onNaturalResourcesand Environment to the original bill:
1.
Make technical changes.
2.
Expand applicability of the code of conduct to all owners and operators issued a certificate by the Department of Conservation and Energy that conveys expropriating authority, rather than applying just to pipelines issued such a certificate.
3.
Remove provision regarding court costs in expropriation proceedings.
4.
Remove provisions creating procedures for contesting a proposed taking.
5.
Add a statement that an appraiser's interest in a transaction related to an expropriation can include reasonable fees for their appraisal services.
6.
Add to the code of conduct provisions a prohibition against threatening that a landowner will have to pay court costs and attorneys fees in an expropriation proceeding.
7.
Reduce the delay for a landowner to respond to a written offer from 30 days to days and establish that this delay is from either the date the written offer is delivered to the property owner or the date the sender receives notification of a failedattempttodeliverthewrittenofferbycertifiedmailorcommercialcourier.
8.
Repeal pre-expropriation procedural requirements that apply to specifically to carbon dioxide sequestration storage operators and pipelines and add language making these expropriations subject to the code of conduct in proposed law.
9.
Remove application of penalties under present law for a violation of the code of conduct.
10.
Add graduated civil fines for violations of the code of conduct and provide for how fines are assessed and collected and provide for the deposit of fines collected in the Oil and Gas Regulatory Dedicated Fund Account.
11.
AddprovisionrequiringtheDepartmentofConservationandEnergytomaintain a list of persons who have violated the code of conduct on their website.
Page 6 of 6 CODING:
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Amendments

4 amendments

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Action History

  1. Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Natural Resources.

  2. Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 98, nays 0. The bill, having received two-thirds vote of the elected members, was finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.

  3. Received in the Senate. Rules suspended. Read first time by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.

  4. Read by title, amended, ordered engrossed, passed to 3rd reading.

  5. Scheduled for floor debate on 05/06/2026.

  6. Reported with amendments (15-0).

  7. Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Natural Resources and Environment.

  8. Prefiled.

  9. Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Natural Resources and Environment.

  10. First appeared in the Interim Calendar on 2/27/2026.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 11 co-sponsors · 135 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (11)

Not signed on (135)

135 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 135 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

FINAL PASSAGE (#908)

Passed 98 Yea · 0 Nay · 7 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 6001
Republican 63005
Democrat 29001
Total 98007
% of votes cast 93%0%0%7%
How each member voted (105)
Member Party Vote
Mr. Speaker — Yea
Amedee — Yea
Galle — Yea
Stagni — Yea
Johnson, T. — Yea
Landry, T. — Not Voting
St. Blanc — Yea
Adrian Fisher Democrat Yea
Aimee Adatto Freeman Democrat Yea
Alonzo L. Knox Democrat Yea
Barbara Carpenter Democrat Yea
C. Denise Marcelle Democrat Yea
Candace N. Newell Democrat Yea
Chasity Martinez Democrat Not Voting
Dana Henry Democrat Yea
Delisha Boyd Democrat Yea
Ed Murray Democrat Yea
Edmond Jordan Democrat Yea
Gerald Boudreaux Democrat Yea
III, Ed Larvadain Democrat Yea
Joy Walters Democrat Yea
Jr., Kyle M. Green Democrat Yea
Ken Brass Democrat Yea
Mandie Landry Democrat Yea
Marcus Anthony Bryant Democrat Yea
Pat Moore Democrat Yea
Rashid Armand Young Democrat Yea
Robby Carter Democrat Yea
Rodney Lyons Democrat Yea
Roy Daryl Adams Democrat Yea
Shaun Raphael Mena Democrat Yea
Sr., Wilford Carter Democrat Yea
Steven Jackson Democrat Yea
Sylvia Elaine Taylor Democrat Yea
Tammy T. Phelps Democrat Yea
Tehmi Jahi Chassion Democrat Yea
Vanessa Caston LaFleur Democrat Yea
Annie Spell Republican Yea
Barbara Reich Freiberg Republican Yea
Beth Anne Billings Republican Yea
Brett F. Geymann Republican Yea
Brian Leonard Glorioso Republican Yea
Bryan Fontenot Republican Yea
Chad Michael Boyer Republican Yea
Chance Keith Henry Republican Yea
Christopher Turner Republican Yea
Danny McCormick Republican Yea
Daryl Andrew Deshotel Republican Yea
Debbie Villio Republican Yea
Dixon Wallace McMakin Republican Yea
Dodie Horton Republican Yea
Emily Chenevert Republican Yea
Foy Bryan Gadberry Republican Yea
Francis C. Thompson Republican Yea
Gregory A. Miller Republican Yea
III, Roger William Wilder Republican Not Voting
III, Vincent E. Cox Republican Yea
IV, Gerald "Beau" Beaullieu Republican Yea
Jack McFarland Republican Yea
Jacob Braud Republican Yea
Jacob Jules Landry Republican Yea
Jason Brian DeWitt Republican Yea
Jeffrey "Jeff" Fons Wiley Republican Yea
Jeremy LaCombe Republican Yea
Jerome Zeringue Republican Yea
Jessica Domangue Republican Yea
John E. Wyble Republican Yea
Joseph A. Orgeron Republican Yea
Josh Carlson Republican Yea
Jr., Dennis Bamburg Republican Yea
Jr., John R. Illg Republican Yea
Jr., Michael Robert Bayham Republican Not Voting
Kathy Edmonston Republican Not Voting
Kellee Hennessy Dickerson Republican Yea
Kim Carver Republican Yea
Kimberly Landry Coates Republican Yea
Larry A. Bagley Republican Not Voting
Lauren Ventrella Republican Yea
Laurie Schlegel Republican Yea
Les Farnum Republican Yea
Mark Wright Republican Yea
Michael "Gabe" Firment Republican Yea
Michael Charles Echols Republican Not Voting
Michael Melerine Republican Yea
Mike Johnson Republican Yea
Neil Riser Republican Yea
Nicholas Muscarello Republican Yea
Paul Sawyer Republican Yea
Phillip Eric Tarver Republican Yea
Polly Thomas Republican Yea
R. Dewith Carrier Republican Yea
Raymond J. Crews Republican Yea
Reese "Skip" Broussard Republican Yea
Rhonda Gaye Butler Republican Yea
Robert "Bob" Owen Republican Yea
Rodney Schamerhorn Republican Yea
Ryan Bourriaque Republican Yea
Shane Mack Republican Yea
Sr., Peter F. Egan Republican Yea
Stephanie H. Berault Republican Yea
Stephanie Hilferty Republican Yea
Timothy P. Kerner Republican Yea
Tony Bacala Republican Yea
Troy Jude Hebert Republican Yea
Wayne McMahen Republican Yea

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Subjects

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Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors HB 841?
HB 841 is sponsored by Paul Sawyer (Republican), Joseph A. Orgeron (Republican), Danny McCormick (Republican), Jacob Jules Landry (Republican), Timothy P. Kerner (Republican), Jessica Domangue (Republican), Jason Brian DeWitt (Republican), Kimberly Landry Coates (Republican), R. Dewith Carrier (Republican), Jacob Braud (Republican), Brett F. Geymann (Republican), and C. Travis Johnson (Democrat).
What is the current status of HB 841?
This bill has passed the House. Introduced February 27, 2026. It now moves to the second chamber.
Where can I track HB 841?
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