HB 379 Louisiana House · 2026 Regular Session

ELECTION CODE: Provides relative to the qualifications of election commissioners

HB 379 amends Louisiana's election code to allow 17-year-olds enrolled in 11th grade (or equivalent) at Louisiana public, approved private, or home study programs to serve as election commissioners under specific conditions. The bill expands eligibility by permitting individuals who are not yet 18 but are in 11th/12th grade, have a high school diploma or GED, or are completing an approved home study program to serve. It directly affects local election administration by broadening the pool of eligible commissioners in precincts where such youth could register to vote. The change modifies qualifications under R.S. 18:425(B)(5) without altering voting rights or election procedures.

Tags: Elections

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

Apr 2026

House Passage

Mar 2026

Senate Passage

May 2026

Signed into Law

May 2026

Introduced Feb 25, 2026 Signed May 15, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB379 Original → HB379 Act · 2 edits

MINOR

This bill amends the qualifications for election commissioners in Louisiana by lowering the minimum grade level requirement from 12th grade to 11th grade for students under 18. The change allows younger high school students and home study participants to serve in this civic role earlier than previously permitted, expanding youth participation in elections.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of eligible candidates to include 11th-grade students, whereas the original law restricted eligibility to 12th-grade students or those who had already graduated.

ELIGIBILITY

Lowered the minimum grade requirement for student election commissioners from 12th grade to 11th grade.

Updated the digest summary to reflect the new 11th-grade eligibility threshold instead of the previous 12th-grade requirement.

Floor votes · Senate May 12, 2026 · House Mar 31, 2026

How they voted

35–0

Passed · 6 other

Total votes 41

May 12, 2026

D Democratic12

9 Yea 3

75% Yea

R Republican29

26 Yea 3

89% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

May 12, 2026

Upper · Passed

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.

upper

Apr 29, 2026

Committee

Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.

upper

Apr 28, 2026

Upper · Passed

Reported favorably.

upper

Mar 31, 2026

Lower · Passed

Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 94, nays 6. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.

lower

Mar 25, 2026

Lower · Passed

Reported favorably (12-0).

lower

Mar 9, 2026

Committee

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

lower

Feb 25, 2026

Committee

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

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors