SB 349 Louisiana Senate · 2026 Regular Session

SUNSET LAW: Re-creates Department of Agriculture and Forestry. (6/30/26)

This bill restores Louisiana's Department of Agriculture and Forestry (DAF) and its affiliated agencies, effective June 30, 2026. It sets a fixed termination date of July 1, 2031, after which the department and its related agencies will cease operations unless renewed earlier under existing law. The legislation amends statutes to establish this 5-year renewal window and clarifies that all prior authority for the department’s existence ends on the specified termination date. The change directly affects state agencies operating under the DAF and ensures a defined timeline for their continued function.

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

Apr 2026

Senate Passage

Mar 2026

House Passage

Apr 2026

Signed into Law

Apr 2026

Introduced Feb 27, 2026 Signed Apr 30, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

SB349 Original → SB349 Act 35 · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill re-creates the Department of Agriculture and Forestry and its statutory entities, effective June 30, 2026. It extends the sunset termination date for these entities from July 1, 2027, to July 1, 2030, and establishes a new sunset date of July 1, 2031, unless the department is re-created again.

Scope change

The bill's scope changed from a temporary re-creation with an immediate sunset to a longer-term authorization that delays the end of the department's existence by several years.

TIMELINE

The termination date for the Department of Agriculture and Forestry was extended from July 1, 2027, to July 1, 2030, with a final sunset date of July 1, 2031.

The effective date of the re-creation was set to June 30, 2026, ensuring the department operates through the end of that fiscal year.

REQUIREMENT

The requirement for a separate bill to re-create each statutory entity was removed, allowing the department and all its entities to be re-created under a single legislative act.

The specific sunset provision requiring a separate bill for each entity was repealed and replaced with a general termination clause.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 24, 2026 · House Apr 23, 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

Apr 23, 2026

Lower · Passed

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

lower

Apr 13, 2026

Introduced

Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments.

lower

Apr 9, 2026

Lower · Passed

Reported favorably (11-0). Referred to the Legislative Bureau.

lower

Mar 26, 2026

Committee

Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Forestry, Aquaculture, and Rural Development.

lower

Mar 24, 2026

Upper · Passed

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

upper

Mar 17, 2026

Upper · Passed

Reported favorably.

upper

Mar 9, 2026

Committee

Introduced in the Senate; read by title. Rules suspended. Read second time and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Forestry, Aquaculture, and Rural Development.

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors