SB 181 Louisiana Senate · 2026 Regular Session

CHARITABLE GAMING: Provides an exemption for nonprofit healthcare organizations to hold and operate a license for conducting certain raffles. (8/1/26)

SB 181 exempts nonprofit healthcare organizations in Louisiana from needing a state license to hold charitable games of chance (like raffles or bingo). Instead, these organizations must annually notify the Office of Charitable Gaming of their participation. The bill defines "nonprofit healthcare organization" broadly to include healthcare providers, their parent organizations, affiliates, and foundations that are tax-exempt and licensed in Louisiana. This change directly affects eligible healthcare groups, allowing them to operate games without a license while maintaining reporting requirements.

Issues: ✓ Healthcare

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

May 2026

Senate Passage

May 2026

House Passage

May 2026

Signed into Law

May 2026

Introduced Feb 25, 2026 Signed May 29, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 4 comparisons

What changed between versions

SB181 Original → SB181 Act 472 · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill simplifies the licensing process for nonprofit healthcare organizations by allowing them to operate under a single state charitable gaming license rather than obtaining separate licenses for each entity. It also clarifies the definition of eligible organizations to include parent companies, affiliates, and subsidiaries, ensuring broader coverage for health systems while maintaining tax-exempt status requirements.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of eligible entities to include parent organizations, affiliates, subsidiaries, and foundations of nonprofit healthcare organizations, and changes the licensing model from individual entity licensing to a single system-wide license.

ELIGIBILITY

Added eligibility for a limited raffle license for nonprofit healthcare organizations, overriding previous restrictions.

REQUIREMENT

Changed the requirement from obtaining individual licenses to operating under a single state charitable gaming license for all participating entities within a health system.

Modified the notification requirement to require the parent organization to annually list all participating entities under the single license.

DEFINITION

Updated the definition of 'nonprofit healthcare organization' to explicitly include parent organizations, affiliates, subsidiaries, and foundations.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 24, 2026 · House May 13, 2026

How they voted

39–0

Passed · 1 other

Total votes 40

Mar 24, 2026

D Democratic12

12 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican28

27 Yea 1

96% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

May 19, 2026

Upper · Passed

Amendments proposed by the House read and concurred in by a vote of 35 yeas and 0 nays.

upper

May 13, 2026

Lower · Passed

Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 95, nays 0. Finally passed, ordered to the Senate.

lower

May 7, 2026

Introduced

Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments.

lower

May 6, 2026

Lower · Passed

Reported with amendments (10-0). Referred to the Legislative Bureau.

lower

Mar 26, 2026

Committee

Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice.

lower

Mar 24, 2026

Upper · Passed

Senate floor amendments read and adopted. Read by title and passed by a vote of 38 yeas and 0 nays; ordered reengrossed and sent to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

upper

Mar 17, 2026

Upper · Passed

Reported with amendments.

upper

Mar 9, 2026

Committee

Introduced in the Senate; read by title. Rules suspended. Read second time and referred to the Committee on Judiciary B.

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors