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LouisianaHB 11532026 Regular SessionHouse

ENVIRONMENT/ENFORCEMENT: Authorizes parishes and municipalities to declare bans on burning

Sponsored By: Kimberly Landry Coates (Republican)

Became Law

Local and Municipal AffairsMunicipal, Parochial and Cultural Affairs

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

2 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 1 costs, 1 mixed.

Burn-ban violators face fines and jail

Knowingly and intentionally breaking a local burn ban brings civil fines assessed by the parish or municipality. Fines are $500 for a first offense, $1,000 for a second, and $2,500 for each later offense. Each day of violation counts as a separate offense. People responsible for fires caused by violations may also owe local firefighting and emergency-response costs. Knowingly violating a ban and causing more than $5,000 in property damage carries additional criminal penalties. These are a fine up to $1,000, jail up to six months, or both. Damage to critical infrastructure, as defined by state law, carries a fine up to $25,000, prison up to five years with or without hard labor, or both. Offenders must also pay restitution to the property owner for damage caused by the violation.

New local burn bans and enforcement

Louisiana communities get new fire-safety tools that also limit outdoor burning. Parishes can declare temporary bans across all or part of a parish when wildfire or uncontrolled-fire risk is elevated. Municipalities can declare bans within their limits when weather or environmental conditions create that risk. Both must lift bans when the elevated risk ends. Bans can cover yard debris, land-clearing burns, construction debris, and recreational fires outside fire pits or enclosures. Exemptions cover agricultural burning that follows state law, prescribed burns by certified personnel, cooking in grills or smokers, and contained recreational fires. Parish bans require an ordinance, resolution, or parish president’s emergency proclamation. Parishes must publish notice in their official journal and provide added notice through websites, social media, alerts, or local media. Parishes can extend, change, or end bans under adopted procedures. Municipalities can adopt procedures for issuing, extending, or ending bans; fire chiefs or emergency management officials can recommend bans. Fire department staff and municipal code officers can enforce bans alongside local and state law enforcement.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Kimberly Landry Coates

    Republican • House

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 141 • No: 0

Senate vote • 5/26/2026

Rules suspended. Read by title, passed by a vote of 36 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

Yes: 36 • No: 0

House vote • 4/23/2026

Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 93, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.

Yes: 93 • No: 0

House vote • 4/20/2026

Reported with amendments

Yes: 12 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Becomes Act No. 931 without the Governor's signature.

    6/23/2026House

  2. Effective date: 08/01/2026.

    6/23/2026House

  3. Sent to the Governor for executive approval.

    5/28/2026House

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

    5/27/2026House

  5. Signed by the President of the Senate.

    5/27/2026Senate

  6. Rules suspended. Read by title, passed by a vote of 36 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

    5/26/2026Senate

  7. Received from the Senate without amendments.

    5/26/2026House

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

    5/20/2026Senate

  9. Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.

    5/19/2026Senate

  10. Reported favorably.

    5/18/2026Senate

  11. Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Local and Municipal Affairs.

    4/28/2026Senate

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

    4/27/2026Senate

  13. Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 93, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.

    4/23/2026House

  14. Scheduled for floor debate on 04/23/2026.

    4/22/2026House

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

    4/21/2026House

  16. Reported with amendments (12-0).

    4/20/2026House

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

    4/1/2026House

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

    3/31/2026House

Bill Text

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