Louisiana 2026 Regular Session Status: Enacted Bipartisan · 16 R · 3 D cosponsors

HB 535 — PATERNITY: Provides relative to authentic acts for acknowledgment of paternity

Last action — Signed by the Governor. Becomes Act No. 304.

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

This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced February 26, 2026. Enacted.

Signed by Governor Jeff Landry (Republican) on May 22, 2026.

Odds of enactment

High chance

Based 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

Likely to advance 98% · high confidence

  • Enacted

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 19 sponsors

    1 primary, 18 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Bipartisan support

    Sponsored across 2 parties (16 R · 3 D) — cross-party backing.

  • 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 updates laws related to acknowledgment of paternity.

This measure adjusts existing laws governing how paternity is acknowledged through authentic acts. It aims to clarify the legal process for recognizing parental responsibilities.

What this means for you
  • Families: This means families may find it easier to legally establish paternity, clarifying parental rights and responsibilities.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

14 added · 26 removed

Plain-language change summary

The amendment to Bill HB 535 removed a reference to "ACT No. 304." This change indicates that the specific act is no longer relevant or needed in the context of this bill. By removing outdated or unnecessary references, the bill can be clearer and more focused on its current goals and objectives, ensuring that it addresses the issues it aims to fix more effectively.

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Previous
Latest
HLS 26RS-1172 ENGROSSED Regular Session HOUSE BILL NO.
ENROLLED Regular Session HOUSE BILL NO.
535 BY REPRESENTATIVE CHENEVERT PATERNITY:
535 BY REPRESENTATIVES CHENEVERT, ADAMS, AMEDEE, BAYHAM, BERAULT, BILLINGS,BOYER,BUTLER,CARVER,DICKERSON,EDMONSTON,EGAN, FISHER, HORTON, LACOMBE, LAFLEUR, MCFARLAND, OWEN, AND WYBLE AN ACT To amend and reenact R.S.
Provides relative to authentic acts for acknowledgment of paternity AN ACT To amend and reenact R.S.
A voluntary acknowledgment executed in accordance with this Section shall be signed by both parents and the parents' signatures shall be authenticated by a person possessing notarial powers in accordance with state laws and does not otherwiserequirethepresenceorsignatureoftwowitnesses.
A voluntary acknowledgment executed in accordance with this Section shall be signed by both parents and the parents' signatures shall be authenticated by a person possessing notarial powers in accordance with state laws and does not otherwiserequirethe presenceorsignatureoftwowitnesses.
Anyacknowledgment of paternity obtained through a hospital-based paternity program pursuant to the process set forth in this Section has the same force and effect as an authentic act for purposes of changing or recording the paternity of the child with the state registrar of vital records.
Anyacknowledgment of paternity obtained through a hospital-based paternity program pursuant to the process set forth in this Section has the same force and effect as an authentic act for purposes of changing or recording the paternity of the child with the state registrar Page 1 of 2 CODING:
The provisions of this Subsection do not applyto parents under the age of eighteen who must establish paternity as otherwise provided by law.
* * * Page 1 of 2 CODING:
HLS 26RS-1172 ENGROSSED HB NO.
HB NO.
535 DIGEST ThedigestprintedbelowwaspreparedbyHouseLegislative Services.
535 ENROLLED of vital records.
It constitutes nopart of the legislative instrument.
The provisions of this Subsection do not applyto parents under the age of eighteen who must establish paternity as otherwise provided by law.
The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent.
* * * SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA APPROVED:
[R.S.
Page 2 of 2 CODING:
1:13(B) and 24:177(E)] HB 535 Engrossed 2026 Regular Session Chenevert Abstract:
Provides relative to the formalities of a voluntaryacknowledgment form.
Present law (R.S.
40:46.12(E)) requires a voluntary acknowledgment form executed in accordancewith ahospital-basedpaternityprogram to be signed byboth parents and for the parents' signatures to be authenticated bya person possessing notarial powers.
Proposed law specifies the requirement for the acknowledgment of paternity form and provides that there is no requirement for the presence or signature of two witnesses.
Proposed law provides that any acknowledgment of paternity obtained through a hospital- based paternity program has the same force and effect as an authentic act for purposes of changing or recording the paternity of a child with the state registrar of vital records.
Proposed law does not applyto parents under the age of 18 who must establish paternityas otherwise established by law.
(Amends R.S.
40:46.12(E)) Page 2 of 2 CODING:
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Action History

  1. Signed by the Governor. Becomes Act No. 304.

  2. Effective date: 08/01/2026.

  3. Received from the Senate without amendments.

  4. Enrolled and signed by the Speaker of the House.

  5. Signed by the President of the Senate.

  6. Sent to the Governor for executive approval.

  7. Rules suspended. Read by title, passed by a vote of 35 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

  8. Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments. Read by title and passed to third reading and final passage.

  9. Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.

  10. Rules suspended. Reported favorably.

  11. Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Judiciary A.

  12. Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 97, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.

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

  14. Scheduled for floor debate on 03/31/2026.

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

  16. Reported favorably (11-0).

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

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

  19. Prefiled.

  20. Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Civil Law and Procedure.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 18 co-sponsors · 128 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (18)

Not signed on (128)

128 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 128 →

"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 (#921)

Passed 35 Yea · 0 Nay · 4 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 1000
Republican 25002
Democrat 9002
Total 35004
% of votes cast 90%0%0%10%
How each member voted (39)
Member Party Vote
Mr. President — Yea
Edward J. Price Democrat Yea
Gary Carter Democrat Yea
Gerald Boudreaux Democrat Yea
Jay Luneau Democrat Yea
Jimmy Harris Democrat Yea
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 Not Voting
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 Yea
Patrick Connick Republican Not Voting
Patrick McMath Republican Yea
Rick Edmonds Republican Yea
Robert "Bob" Owen Republican Yea
Robert Allain Republican Yea
Stewart Jr. Cathey Republican Yea
Thomas A. Pressly Republican Yea
Valarie Hodges Republican Yea

Official roll call →

FINAL PASSAGE (#225)

Passed 97 Yea · 0 Nay · 8 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 7000
Republican 64004
Democrat 26004
Total 97008
% of votes cast 92%0%0%8%
How each member voted (105)
Member Party Vote
Mr. Speaker — Yea
Amedee — Yea
Galle — Yea
Stagni — Yea
Johnson, T. — Yea
Landry, T. — Yea
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 Yea
Dana Henry Democrat Yea
Delisha Boyd Democrat Yea
Ed Murray Democrat Yea
Edmond Jordan Democrat Not Voting
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 Not Voting
Robby Carter Democrat Yea
Rodney Lyons Democrat Yea
Roy Daryl Adams Democrat Not Voting
Shaun Raphael Mena Democrat Yea
Sr., Wilford Carter Democrat Yea
Steven Jackson Democrat Yea
Sylvia Elaine Taylor Democrat Yea
Tammy T. Phelps Democrat Not Voting
Tehmi Jahi Chassion Democrat Yea
Vanessa Caston LaFleur Democrat Yea
Annie Spell Republican Not Voting
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 Not Voting
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 Yea
III, Vincent E. Cox Republican Yea
IV, Gerald "Beau" Beaullieu Republican Yea
Jack McFarland Republican Yea
Jacob Braud Republican Not Voting
Jacob Jules Landry Republican Yea
Jason Brian DeWitt Republican Yea
Jeffrey "Jeff" Fons Wiley Republican Yea
Jeremy LaCombe Republican Not Voting
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 Yea
Kathy Edmonston Republican Yea
Kellee Hennessy Dickerson Republican Yea
Kim Carver Republican Yea
Kimberly Landry Coates Republican Yea
Larry A. Bagley Republican Yea
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 Yea
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

Official roll call →

Subjects

civil-rights
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors HB 535?
HB 535 is sponsored by Beryl Amedée (Republican), John E. Wyble (Republican), Charles Owen (Republican), Jack McFarland (Republican), Vanessa Caston LaFleur (Democrat), Jeremy LaCombe (Republican), Dodie Horton (Republican), Adrian Fisher (Democrat), Sr., Peter F. Egan (Republican), Kathy Edmonston (Republican), Kim Carver (Republican), Rhonda Gaye Butler (Republican), Chad Michael Boyer (Republican), Beth Anne Billings (Republican), Stephanie H. Berault (Republican), Jr., Michael Robert Bayham (Republican), Roy Daryl Adams (Democrat), Emily Chenevert (Republican), and Kellee Hennessy Dickerson (Republican).
What is the current status of HB 535?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced February 26, 2026. Enacted.
Where can I track HB 535?
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