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LouisianaHB 11262026 Regular SessionHouseWALLET

LEGISLATIVE EXPENSES: Makes appropriations for the expenses of the legislature for Fiscal Year 2026-2027

Sponsored By: Jack McFarland (Republican)

Signed by Governor

FinanceAppropriations

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

8 provisions identified: 7 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.

Legislator attendance pay follows federal rate

Beginning July 1, 2026, Louisiana legislators receive compensation while attending the legislature. Their rate matches the federal daily expense deduction amount for the state capitol’s location. The provision gives no dollar amount and does not directly change household tax bills.

More salary funding for legislative assistants

Beginning July 1, 2026, each Louisiana legislator gets $275 more per month for legislative assistant salaries. The law does not guarantee how much any one assistant receives. Assistants employed on or before December 1, 2007, may keep the salary they earned on that date. Legislative employee pay counts toward full-time status and eligibility for benefits, including retirement and insurance.

Funding keeps Louisiana’s legislature running

Beginning July 1, 2026, the House gets $32.9983 million and the Senate gets $28.117511 million for FY 2026–2027. This pays for members, staff, travel, printing, technology, accessibility services, and chamber upkeep. Across legislative agencies, the law provides $94.541665 million in general funds and $25.104188 million in self-generated revenues. Spending must follow approved budgets, and unused or uncommitted money must return to the general fund by October 1, 2027, unless otherwise authorized. The Legislature can also accept and spend grants or donations consistent with the state constitution. Payments under this law take priority over most other state payment orders.

Funding supports Capitol buildings and services

Beginning July 1, 2026, the Legislative Budgetary Control Council gets $13.112977 million for FY 2026–2027 expenses. It also gets the July 2, 2026, balance of a fund created in 2008; no balance amount is stated. Funding covers legislative staff, both legislative libraries, Capitol buildings and grounds, repairs, access improvements, equipment, security, and technology. It also covers professional services, legislative association dues, and retirement-system costs tied to certain legislative employees. Interim committee travel and daily allowances, when no other funds cover them, require council or co-chair approval as specified.

Funding supports legislative budget analysis

Beginning July 1, 2026, the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget gets $3.7916 million solely for Legislative Fiscal Office operations. Spending follows a budget approved by that committee and the Legislative Budgetary Control Council. Consultant contracts also need approval from both bodies. Self-generated revenues and prior funds can cover 2026 Regular Session expenses. Unspent funds must return to the general fund by October 1, 2027.

Funding supports Louisiana’s Legislative Auditor

Beginning July 1, 2026, the Legislative Auditor gets $15.295 million in general funds for FY 2026–2027 operations. The law also provides $350,000 to establish the Legislative Auditor Ancillary Enterprise Fund. The auditor can spend up to $25.104188 million from available money in that fund on office expenses. All auditor self-generated revenues must go into this fund. Spending additional self-generated revenues above the appropriation requires approval from the Legislative Budgetary Control Council’s co-chairs.

Louisiana State Law Institute gets more

Beginning July 1, 2026, the Louisiana State Law Institute gets $1.226277 million for FY 2026–2027 expenses. That is up from $1.198901 million for FY 2025–2026. Spending must follow a budget approved by the Legislative Budgetary Control Council. Unspent funds must return to the general fund by October 1, 2027.

Covered public entities pay audit costs

Beginning July 1, 2026, the Legislative Auditor can recover actual audit costs from federally funded programs, fee-funded regulatory boards, and self-supported enterprise operations. Federal program reimbursements cannot exceed amounts allowed by federal law and regulations. The auditor can also collect reasonable audit charges from entities in the state’s annual financial report, excluding those audited by independent certified public accountants. Annual notice is required on July 1, and the state treasurer transfers each covered entity’s allocated amount to the auditor’s fund. Total allocated charges cannot exceed the auditor’s appropriation from that fund.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Jack McFarland

    Republican • House

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 257 • No: 0

House vote • 5/29/2026

Read by title, roll called, yeas 97, nays 0, Senate amendments concurred in.

Yes: 97 • No: 0

Senate vote • 5/26/2026

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.

Yes: 38 • No: 0

House vote • 4/16/2026

Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 104, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.

Yes: 104 • No: 0

House vote • 4/13/2026

Reported favorably

Yes: 18 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Signed by the Governor. Becomes Act No. 912.

    6/12/2026House

  2. Effective date: 07/01/2026.

    6/12/2026House

  3. Signed by the President of the Senate.

    6/1/2026Senate

  4. Sent to the Governor for executive approval.

    6/1/2026House

  5. Enrolled and signed by the Speaker of the House.

    5/31/2026House

  6. Read by title, roll called, yeas 97, nays 0, Senate amendments concurred in.

    5/29/2026House

  7. Scheduled for concurrence on 05/29/2026.

    5/27/2026House

  8. 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.

    5/26/2026Senate

  9. Received from the Senate with amendments.

    5/26/2026House

  10. Read by title; made Special Order of the Day No. 7 for 5/26.

    5/25/2026Senate

  11. Rules suspended. Reported with amendments. Rules suspended. Committee amendments read and adopted. Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.

    5/21/2026Senate

  12. Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments. Read by title and passed to third reading and final passage.

    5/21/2026Senate

  13. Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Finance.

    4/21/2026Senate

  14. Received in the Senate. Read first time by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.

    4/20/2026Senate

  15. Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 104, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.

    4/16/2026House

  16. Read by title, ordered engrossed, passed to 3rd reading.

    4/14/2026House

  17. Made Special Order of the day No. 10 for 04/16/2026.

    4/14/2026House

  18. Reported favorably (18-0).

    4/13/2026House

  19. Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Appropriations.

    4/1/2026House

  20. Read by title. Lies over under the rules.

    3/31/2026House

Bill Text

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