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LouisianaHB 1852026 Regular SessionHouseWALLET

WORKERS COMPENSATION: Provides relative to the definition of an independent contractor (EN DECREASE SD EX See Note)

Sponsored By: Michael Melerine (Republican)

Signed by Governor

Labor and Industrial Relations

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

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

Contractors’ employees gain workers’ compensation coverage

Louisiana law expands workers’ compensation coverage to employees of independent contractors who do substantial manual labor. The contractor must also spend a substantial share of work time doing manual labor and be covered by the law. The employee must also be substantially engaged in manual labor. The law keeps its rule that operating a truck tractor or tractor-trailer does not count as manual labor. This includes fueling, driving, connecting or disconnecting electrical lines and air hoses, hooking or unhooking trailers, and vehicle inspections.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Michael Melerine

    Republican • House

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 180 • No: 64

House vote • 5/11/2026

Read by title, roll called, yeas 77, nays 22, Senate amendments concurred in.

Yes: 77 • No: 22

Senate vote • 5/6/2026

The amended bill was read by title, passed by a vote of 27 yeas and 10 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

Yes: 27 • No: 10

House vote • 3/30/2026

Read third time by title, amended, roll called on final passage, yeas 70, nays 28. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.

Yes: 70 • No: 28

House vote • 3/23/2026

Reported with amendments

Yes: 6 • No: 4

Actions Timeline

  1. Signed by the Governor. Becomes Act No. 133.

    5/15/2026House

  2. Effective date: 08/01/2026.

    5/15/2026House

  3. Signed by the President of the Senate.

    5/13/2026Senate

  4. Sent to the Governor for executive approval.

    5/13/2026House

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

    5/12/2026House

  6. Read by title, roll called, yeas 77, nays 22, Senate amendments concurred in.

    5/11/2026House

  7. Scheduled for concurrence on 05/11/2026.

    5/7/2026House

  8. The amended bill was read by title, passed by a vote of 27 yeas and 10 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

    5/6/2026Senate

  9. Received from the Senate with amendments.

    5/6/2026House

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

    4/28/2026Senate

  11. Committee amendments read and adopted. Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.

    4/27/2026Senate

  12. Reported with amendments.

    4/22/2026Senate

  13. Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Labor and Industrial Relations.

    4/1/2026Senate

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

    3/31/2026Senate

  15. Called from the calendar.

    3/30/2026House

  16. Read third time by title, amended, roll called on final passage, yeas 70, nays 28. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.

    3/30/2026House

  17. Read by title, returned to the calendar.

    3/26/2026House

  18. Notice given.

    3/26/2026House

  19. Scheduled for floor debate on 03/30/2026.

    3/26/2026House

  20. Scheduled for floor debate on 03/26/2026.

    3/25/2026House

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

    3/24/2026House

  22. Reported with amendments (6-4).

    3/23/2026House

  23. Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Labor and Industrial Relations.

    3/9/2026House

  24. First appeared in the Interim Calendar on 2/20/2026.

    2/20/2026House

  25. Prefiled.

    2/18/2026House

Bill Text

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