LouisianaSB 1942026 Regular SessionSenateWALLET

FUNDS/FUNDING: Requires the referral of applicants who fail citizenship or immigration verification to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. (8/1/26) (EN SEE FISC NOTE See Note)

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

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

Fewer immigrant groups qualify for benefits

Beginning August 1, 2026, Louisiana narrows which immigrants count as “qualified aliens” for Medicaid, Medicare, SNAP, and marketplace health plans. The qualifying groups are lawful permanent residents, Cuban or Haitian entrants, and people lawfully residing under a Compact of Free Association. Temporary visitors, tourists, diplomats, students, and other temporary entrants do not count as permanent residents. Applicants outside these groups face narrower access to these programs, subject to federal law.

Medicaid applicants face one verification deadline

Beginning August 1, 2026, Medicaid applicants get one period to submit status documents when available data cannot verify their status. This period cannot exceed the minimum time required by federal law. Temporary coverage is available when federal law requires it, and Louisiana may provide emergency care during verification. Missing the deadline leads to denial or termination of Medicaid, with required notice. Applicants previously denied for failing to verify citizenship or immigration status receive no additional opportunity period. Louisiana must seek needed federal plan changes or waivers to carry out these rules.

SNAP families must count excluded members’ income

Beginning August 1, 2026, SNAP households must count all income and financial resources of members excluded under immigration-status rules. This applies to exclusions under the federal SNAP immigration rule and the law’s citizenship and immigration verification rules. Agencies use those full amounts to decide household eligibility and benefit amounts. The added counted income and resources can lower grocery benefits or make the household ineligible.

Benefit recipients face broader status checks

Beginning August 1, 2026, Louisiana agencies must verify citizenship or qualifying immigration status for public-benefit applicants and recipients. Covered benefits include health coverage, food aid, welfare, disability, housing aid, unemployment, public pensions, and similar assistance. Agencies must make every reasonable effort to get satisfactory documents, except where federal law bars state checks. The law recognizes citizenship, qualified immigration status, and the special federal Medicaid coverage route in 42 U.S.C. 1396b(v)(4). For public pensions, a status check at plan enrollment satisfies the verification requirement. Agencies must send monthly verification data to the Secretary of State for voter-list maintenance. Annual fiscal-year reports to state legislative and executive leaders must include verification results, immigration referrals, and benefit terminations.

Immigrant applicants face referrals and benefit loss

Beginning August 1, 2026, Louisiana agencies must refer certain benefit applicants to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The trigger is an ended verification period or a final check finding no citizenship or satisfactory immigration status. The applicant must also have entered without inspection or admission, or overstayed an authorized stay. Agencies must send the applicant’s information and end recurring federal, state, or local public benefits, following applicable federal procedures. These duties fall on state and local agencies, not on applicants to report themselves.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

Blake Miguez
Republican • Senate

Cosponsors

Valarie Hodges
Republican • Senate

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 100 • No: 40

House vote • 5/26/2026

Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 67, nays 27. Finally passed, ordered to the Senate.

Yes: 67 • No: 27

House vote • 5/19/2026

Reported with amendments

Yes: 8 • No: 3

Senate vote • 5/5/2026

Read by title, passed by a vote of 25 yeas and 10 nays, and sent to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

Yes: 25 • No: 10

Actions Timeline

Signed by the Governor. Becomes Act No. 745.
6/1/2026Senate
Effective date 8/1/2026.
6/1/2026Senate
Signed by the Speaker of the House.
5/29/2026House
Sent to the Governor by the Secretary of the Senate.
5/29/2026Senate
Enrolled. Signed by the President of the Senate.
5/28/2026Senate
Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 67, nays 27. Finally passed, ordered to the Senate.
5/26/2026House
Received from the House with amendments.
5/26/2026Senate
Read by title, amended, passed to 3rd reading.
5/25/2026House
Scheduled for floor debate on 05/26/2026.
5/25/2026House
Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments.
5/20/2026House
Reported with amendments (8-3). Referred to the Legislative Bureau.
5/19/2026House
Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Health and Welfare.
5/7/2026House
Received in the House from the Senate, read by title, lies over under the rules.
5/6/2026House
Read by title, passed by a vote of 25 yeas and 10 nays, and sent to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.
5/5/2026Senate
Read by title. Committee amendments read and adopted. Ordered engrossed and passed to third reading and final passage.
4/27/2026Senate
Reported with amendments.
4/22/2026Senate
Introduced in the Senate; read by title. Rules suspended. Read second time and referred to the Committee on Health and Welfare.
3/9/2026Senate
Prefiled and under the rules provisionally referred to the Committee on Health and Welfare.
2/26/2026Senate

Bill Text

Engrossed
PDF
Enrolled
PDF
Introduced
PDF

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