HB 385 Louisiana House · 2025 Regular Session

PUBLIC OFFICIALS: Provides that the oath or affirmation of a public official shall be recorded at no charge to the official (EN SEE FISC NOTE LF RV)

HB 385 eliminates fees for recording public officials' oaths or affirmations, making this administrative process free for all state or local government officials who take such oaths. The bill directly affects elected and appointed public officials by removing a potential cost associated with their official swearing-in. This is a procedural change that modifies administrative requirements without altering substantive laws or policies. The bill passed committee and advanced to third reading in April 2025.

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Apr 2025

Committee Review

Jun 2025

House Passage

Apr 2025

Senate Passage

Jun 2025

Signed into Law

Jun 2025

Introduced Apr 3, 2025 Signed Jun 11, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB385 Original → HB385 Act 269 · 3 edits

MINOR

This bill converts the recording of oaths for public officials from a fee-based service to a free service. Previously, clerks of court charged fees for filing and recording these documents; now, the state requires that these oaths be recorded at no cost to the official taking them.

Scope change

The scope of the bill remains focused on public officials in Louisiana, but the financial burden on them has been removed.

REQUIREMENT

Changed the requirement for recording oaths from a fee-based transaction to a free service for all public officials.

Removed the provision allowing clerks of court to charge fees for filing and recording public official oaths.

Added explicit language stating that the oath or affirmation shall be recorded at no charge to the official.

Floor votes · Senate Jun 8, 2025 · House Apr 29, 2025

How they voted

36–0

Passed · 1 other

Total votes 37

Jun 8, 2025

D Democratic11

10 Yea 1

90% Yea

R Republican26

26 Yea

100% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Jun 8, 2025

Upper · Passed

Rules suspended. Read by title, passed by a vote of 38 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

upper

Jun 4, 2025

Upper · Passed

Reported favorably. Rules suspended. Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.

upper

Apr 29, 2025

Lower · Passed

Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 94, nays 1. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.

lower

Apr 23, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reported with amendments (13-0).

lower

Apr 14, 2025

Committee

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

lower

Apr 3, 2025

Committee

Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on House and Governmental Affairs.

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors