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LouisianaHB 6522025 Regular SessionHouseWALLET

SEAFOOD: Provides for seafood safety and testing (EN +$240,608 SD EX See Note)

Sponsored By: Timothy P. Kerner (Republican)

Signed by Governor

Agriculture, Forestry, Aquaculture, and Rural Development

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

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

Seafood businesses pay fees and report sales

Commercial seafood permit holders that process or distribute imported seafood pay an annual fee to Louisiana's agriculture department. The fee is $300 in 2025, $500 in 2026, $750 in 2027, and $1,000 yearly starting in 2028; proceeds enter the Imported Seafood Safety Fund. Commercial processors and distributors of imported and mixed seafood must report quarterly purchases and sales by species and country of origin, including domestic state of origin when possible. The department may request more product, form, date, or tracking details and must maintain a database. Missing required information for two or more consecutive quarters can bring fines under the seafood testing law.

Seafood safety checks and sales penalties

Louisiana moves imported seafood oversight to the Department of Agriculture and Forestry, which may test covered seafood against federal chemical standards. Results above those standards must go to the health department and the processor or distributor; health officials must treat the seafood as adulterated food. Violating the testing rules can bring a civil fine up to $1,000. The agriculture commissioner may stop seafood sales and distribution, with each violation carrying penalties up to $1,000 per day. Anyone affected may request a hearing in writing within five calendar days after the order is issued; the hearing must occur within ten calendar days after the request is received.

Seafood origin labels and mislabeling fines

When Louisiana's agriculture department requests compliance, processors and distributors subject to the seafood safety fee must provide available past testing information and other required details. Labels must identify imported seafood and its country of origin. Labels for mixed seafood must identify both Louisiana seafood and seafood from the named foreign country. The department may test seafood when it has reason to believe imports are packed or labeled as domestic. If tests confirm the seafood is not domestic, fines per violation can reach $15,000 for a first offense, $25,000 for a second, and $50,000 for a third or later offense.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Timothy P. Kerner

    Republican • House

Cosponsors

  • Beth Mizell

    Republican • Senate

  • Brach Jerad Myers

    Republican • Senate

  • Cameron Henry

    Republican • Senate

  • Gary Carter

    Democratic • Senate

  • Gerald Boudreaux

    Democratic • Senate

  • Glen Womack

    Republican • Senate

  • Katrina R. Jackson-Andrews

    Democratic • Senate

  • Larry Selders

    Affiliation unavailable

  • Mark Abraham

    Republican • Senate

  • Michael "Big Mike" Fesi

    Republican • Senate

  • Patrick Connick

    Republican • Senate

  • Patrick McMath

    Republican • Senate

  • Regina Barrow

    Democratic • Senate

  • Rick Edmonds

    Republican • Senate

  • Robert "Bob" Owen

    Republican • Senate

  • William "Bill" Wheat Jr.

    Republican • Senate

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 248 • No: 0

House vote • 6/9/2025

Read by title, roll called, yeas 101, nays 0. The Senate amendments, having received two-thirds vote of the elected members, were concurred in.

Yes: 101 • No: 0

Senate vote • 6/8/2025

Rules suspended. Senate floor amendments read and adopted. Read by title, passed by a vote of 39 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

Yes: 39 • No: 0

House vote • 5/6/2025

Read third time by title, amended, roll called on final passage, yeas 95, nays 0. The bill, having received two-thirds vote of the elected members, was finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.

Yes: 95 • No: 0

House vote • 4/22/2025

Read by title, substitute title adopted, lies over in the same order of business, substitute for HB No. 550 reported by the Committee on Natural Resources and Environment

Yes: 13 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Signed by the Governor. Becomes Act No. 300.

    6/11/2025House

  2. Effective date: 06/11/2025.

    6/11/2025House

  3. Signed by the President of the Senate.

    6/10/2025Senate

  4. Sent to the Governor for executive approval.

    6/10/2025House

  5. Read by title, roll called, yeas 101, nays 0. The Senate amendments, having received two-thirds vote of the elected members, were concurred in.

    6/9/2025House

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

    6/9/2025House

  7. Rules suspended. Senate floor amendments read and adopted. Read by title, passed by a vote of 39 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

    6/8/2025Senate

  8. Received from the Senate with amendments.

    6/8/2025House

  9. Scheduled for concurrence on 06/09/2025.

    6/8/2025House

  10. Reported favorably. Rules suspended. Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.

    6/4/2025Senate

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

    6/4/2025Senate

  12. Rules suspended.

    5/21/2025Senate

  13. Senate Committee amendments read and adopted.

    5/21/2025Senate

  14. Read by title. Recommitted to the Committee on Finance.

    5/21/2025Senate

  15. Reported with amendments.

    5/20/2025Senate

  16. Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Forestry, Aquaculture, and Rural Development.

    5/8/2025Senate

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

    5/7/2025Senate

  18. Called from the calendar.

    5/6/2025House

  19. Read by title, returned to the calendar.

    5/6/2025House

  20. Called from the calendar.

    5/6/2025House

  21. Read third time by title, amended, roll called on final passage, yeas 95, nays 0. The bill, having received two-thirds vote of the elected members, was finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.

    5/6/2025House

  22. Called from the calendar.

    4/30/2025House

  23. Read by title, returned to the calendar.

    4/30/2025House

  24. Notice given.

    4/30/2025House

  25. Scheduled for floor debate on 05/06/2025.

    4/30/2025House

Bill Text

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