HB 551 — ELECTIONS/COMMISSIONERS: Provides for early voting commissioners assisting with the nursing home early voting program (EN +$38,400 GF EX See Note)
Last action — Signed by the Governor. Becomes Act No. 165.
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✓Introduced
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✓In Committee
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✓Passed House
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✓Passed Senate
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✓To Executive
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6Enacted
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced February 26, 2026. Enacted.
Signed by Governor Jeff Landry (Republican) on May 15, 2026.
Odds of enactment
High chanceBased on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a high 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
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Enacted
Current position in the legislative process.
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2 sponsors
1 primary, 1 co-sponsors signed on.
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Bipartisan support
Sponsored across 2 parties (1 R · 1 D) — cross-party backing.
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Cleared a recorded vote
Passed 2 recorded votes so far.
Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.
In plain language
The bill allows for commissioners to assist in early voting at nursing homes.
This bill permits registrars of voters to select commissioners to aid in early voting, especially for nursing home programs. Commissioners must take an oath and can receive compensation for their service.
What this means for you
- Workers: For those serving as commissioners, this means you will be compensated for assisting with early voting.
Bill Text
What changed in the latest version
19 added · 54 removedPlain-language change summary
The revision of Bill HB 551 removed the section labeled "ACTNo.165." This change simplifies the bill by eliminating a reference that may no longer be relevant or necessary. Such clarity can help make the bill easier to understand and ensure that it focuses on the most important elements.
HLSENROLLED 26RS-1043 REENGROSSED Regular Session HOUSE BILL NO.
551 BY REPRESENTATIVES BILLINGS AND CHASSION ELECTIONS/COMMISSIONERS:AN ACT To amend and reenact R.S.
Providesforearlyvotingcommissionersassistingwith the nursing home early voting program AN ACT To amend and reenact R.S.
18:1309(J)(1) is herebyherebyamended amended and reenacted to readasread as follows:
A commissioner who assists the registrar in the conduct of early voting shall take an oath of office as a deputyregistrar for the early voting period and shall complete an affidavit prepared by the secretaryof state that contains the name, address, and last Page 1 of 32 CODING:
HLS 26RS-1043 REENGROSSED HB NO.
551 oathENROLLED of office as a deputyregistrar for the earlyvoting period and shall complete an affidavit prepared bythe secretaryof state that contains the name, address, and last four digits of the social security number of the early voting commissioner and an acknowledgment that the law prohibits the disclosure of confidential voter information listed in the precinct register or early voting list kept by the registrar.
The affidavit shall be retained in the office of the registrarregistrarAof of voters.
A commissioner who assists the registrar in the conduct of early voting shall be paid one hundred fiftydollars for each dayof such assistance.
* * * DIGESTSPEAKER ThedigestprintedbelowwaspreparedbyHouseLegislativeOF Services.THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA APPROVED:
ItPage constitutes2 nopart of the2 legislativeCODING: instrument.
The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent.
[R.S.
1:13(B) and 24:177(E)] HB 551 Reengrossed 2026 Regular Session Billings Abstract:
Provides for the use of commissioners bythe registrar of voters during the early voting period to assist with conducting the nursing home early voting program.
Present law (R.S.
18:1333) provides for the nursing home early voting program.
Provides that a person who resides in a nursing home and who is entitled to vote may vote early during the period extending at least two weeks prior to the beginning day for early voting through the last day for early voting established by present law.
Present law (R.S.
18:1309(J)(1)) provides that, upon approval of the secretary of state, a registrar of voters mayutilize commissioners selected and trained by the registrar of voters to assist the registrar during earlyvoting period in the conduct of earlyvoting byhis office.
Provides that a registrar of voters shall, in seeking the approval of the secretary of state, indicate to the secretary the number of commissioners that is required for such assistance.
Provides a commissioner who assists the registrar in the conduct of early voting shall take an oath of office as a deputy registrar for the early voting period and shall complete an affidavit prepared by the secretary of state that contains the name, address, and last four digits of the social security number of the early voting commissioner and an acknowledgmentthatthelawprohibitsthedisclosureofconfidentialvoterinformationlisted in the precinct register or early voting list kept by the registrar.
Provides that a commissioner who assists the registrar in the conduct of earlyvoting shall be paid $150 for each day of such assistance.
Proposed law retains present law and specifies that present law includes conducting the nursing home early voting program.
Proposed law retains present law.
(Amends R.S.
18:1309(J)(1)) Page 2 of 3 CODING:
Wordsinstruckthroughtypearedeletionsfromexistinglaw;wordsunderscored are additions.
HLS 26RS-1043 REENGROSSED HB NO.
551 Summary of Amendments Adopted by House The House Floor Amendments to the engrossed bill:
1.
Provide that present law includes conducting the nursing home early voting program.
2.
Make technical changes.
Page 3 of 3 CODING:
View plain text versions (5)
- Enrolled HB551 Enrolled Current pdf
- Engrossed HB551 Reengrossed pdf
- Engrossed HB551 Engrossed pdf
- HB551 Act View text pdf
- HB551 Original View text pdf
Amendments
1 amendmentClick Show changes on an amendment above to see how it modifies the bill.
Action History
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Signed by the Governor. Becomes Act No. 165.
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Effective date: 08/01/2026.
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Signed by the President of the Senate.
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Sent to the Governor for executive approval.
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Received from the Senate without amendments.
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Enrolled and signed by the Speaker of the House.
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Rules suspended. Read by title, passed by a vote of 33 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.
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Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments. Read by title and passed to third reading and final passage.
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Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.
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Reported favorably.
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Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Senate and Governmental Affairs.
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Received in the Senate. Read first time by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.
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Read third time by title, amended, roll called on final passage, yeas 102, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.
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Read by title, ordered engrossed, passed to 3rd reading.
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Scheduled for floor debate on 03/25/2026.
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Reported favorably (10-0).
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Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on House and Governmental Affairs.
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First appeared in the Interim Calendar on 2/27/2026.
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Prefiled.
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Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on House and Governmental Affairs.
Sponsors
- Tehmi Jahi Chassion · Cosponsor
- Beth Anne Billings · Primary
Sponsorship breakdown
Export CSV (upgrade) →1 sponsors · 1 co-sponsors · 145 not signed on
Sponsors (1)
- Beth Anne Billings Republican
Co-sponsors (1)
- Tehmi Jahi Chassion Democrat
Not signed on (145)
145 members have not signed on to this bill.
Show all 145 →"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.
Votes
| Party | Yea | Nay | Present | Not Voting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unaffiliated | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Republican | 25 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Democrat | 7 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Total | 33 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| % of votes cast | 85% | 0% | 0% | 15% |
How each member voted (39)
| Member | Party | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| Mr. President | — | Yea |
| Edward J. Price | Democrat | Yea |
| Gary Carter | Democrat | Not Voting |
| Gerald Boudreaux | Democrat | Yea |
| Jay Luneau | Democrat | Yea |
| Jimmy Harris | Democrat | Not Voting |
| Katrina R. Jackson-Andrews | Democrat | Not Voting |
| Larry Selders | Democrat | Not Voting |
| Regina Barrow | Democrat | Yea |
| Royce Duplessis | Democrat | Yea |
| Sam Jenkins | Democrat | Yea |
| Sidney Barthelemy II | Democrat | Yea |
| Adam Bass | Republican | Yea |
| Alan Seabaugh | Republican | Yea |
| Beth Mizell | Republican | Yea |
| Blake Miguez | Republican | Yea |
| Bob Hensgens | Republican | Yea |
| Brach Jerad Myers | Republican | Yea |
| Caleb Kleinpeter | Republican | Yea |
| Eddie J. Lambert | Republican | Yea |
| Franklin J. Foil | Republican | Yea |
| Glen Womack | Republican | Yea |
| Gregory A. Miller | Republican | Yea |
| Heather Cloud | Republican | Yea |
| Jeremy Stine | Republican | Yea |
| John C. "Jay" Morris | Republican | Yea |
| Jr., William "Bill" Wheat | Republican | Yea |
| Kirk Talbot | Republican | Yea |
| Mark Abraham | Republican | Yea |
| Michael "Big Mike" Fesi | Republican | Yea |
| Mike Reese | Republican | Not Voting |
| Patrick Connick | Republican | Yea |
| Patrick McMath | Republican | Yea |
| Rick Edmonds | Republican | Yea |
| Robert "Bob" Owen | Republican | Yea |
| Robert Allain | Republican | Yea |
| Stewart Jr. Cathey | Republican | Not Voting |
| Thomas A. Pressly | Republican | Yea |
| Valarie Hodges | Republican | Yea |
| Party | Yea | Nay | Present | Not Voting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unaffiliated | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Republican | 66 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Democrat | 29 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Total | 102 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| % of votes cast | 97% | 0% | 0% | 3% |
How each member voted (105)
Subjects
Frequently asked questions
- Who sponsors HB 551?
- HB 551 is sponsored by Tehmi Jahi Chassion (Democrat) and Beth Anne Billings (Republican).
- What is the current status of HB 551?
- This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced February 26, 2026. Enacted.
- Where can I track HB 551?
- Track HB 551 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.
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