HB 867 Louisiana House · 2026 Regular Session

LOCAL OFFL/POLICE CHIEFS: Provides for an appointed chief of police in the town of Fordoche

HB 867 changes how the chief of police is selected in the town of Fordoche, Louisiana. It requires the mayor to appoint the chief (with majority approval from the town's board of aldermen), replacing the previous system where the position was elected by voters. The appointed chief serves the same term as the mayor and aldermen, reports directly to the mayor, and has specific duties and qualifications set by the aldermen through an ordinance. The bill does not affect current officeholders until their term ends or the position becomes vacant.

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

May 2026

House Passage

Apr 2026

Senate Passage

May 2026

Signed into Law

Jun 2026

Introduced Feb 27, 2026 Signed Jun 2, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB867 Original → HB867 Act 679 · 3 edits

MINOR

This bill changes the law for the town of Fordoche to allow the police chief to be appointed by the mayor instead of being elected by the public. It also requires the town council to set the chief's salary and job duties, and the chief will now report directly to the mayor rather than the public.

Scope change

The bill applies specifically to the town of Fordoche, creating a local exception to the general state rule that police chiefs in mayor-council towns are elected by the public.

ELIGIBILITY

Establishes that the town of Fordoche may appoint its police chief rather than electing the position.

REQUIREMENT

Changes the reporting structure so the police chief reports directly to the mayor instead of the public.

Requires the board of aldermen to set the police chief's salary and define their duties and qualifications.

Floor votes · Senate May 26, 2026 · House Apr 15, 2026

How they voted

37–0

Passed · 4 other

Total votes 41

May 26, 2026

D Democratic12

9 Yea 3

75% Yea

R Republican29

28 Yea 1

96% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

May 26, 2026

Upper · Passed

Rules suspended. Read by title, passed by a vote of 34 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

upper

May 19, 2026

Committee

Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.

upper

May 18, 2026

Upper · Passed

Reported favorably.

upper

Apr 15, 2026

Lower · Passed

Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 92, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.

lower

Apr 9, 2026

Lower · Passed

Reported favorably (15-0).

lower

Mar 9, 2026

Committee

Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Municipal, Parochial and Cultural Affairs.

lower

Feb 27, 2026

Committee

Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Municipal, Parochial and Cultural Affairs.

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors