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LouisianaSB 4952026 Regular SessionSenate

ELECTION CODE: Provides for campaign finance disclosures. (8/1/26)

Sponsored By: Caleb Kleinpeter (Republican)

Signed by Governor

House and Governmental AffairsSenate and Governmental Affairs

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

13 provisions identified: 5 benefits, 3 costs, 5 mixed.

Annual option for payroll donation reports

Beginning January 1, 2027, qualifying committees can report payroll-deduction and dues-check-off donor names and addresses once a year. They must support multiple candidates or issues and receive more than 10,000 such contributions. No donor can give more than $200 during that calendar year. The report is due March 15 and covers the prior year through December 31. Outside this option, payroll-deduction and dues-check-off donor identification is required above $25 per calendar year.

Higher thresholds for noncash campaign gifts

Beginning January 1, 2027, covered noncash campaign contributions and expenditures have a value threshold above $200, up from $50. These include paid employee services and use of property. Repeated donations from the same person to the same candidate or committee count together when their value exceeds $200.

Less paperwork for small campaign sales

Beginning January 1, 2027, the threshold for qualifying campaign-item and raffle sales rises from $50 to $200. Candidate and committee treasurers need not keep individual records for qualifying sales of $200 or less. They must still record total proceeds received and deposited, along with the source. An unknown buyer’s single campaign-merchandise purchase of $200 or less is not treated as an anonymous contribution.

More lawful uses for campaign money

Beginning January 1, 2027, candidates can give campaign money to independent-expenditure-only committees and recognized parish party executive committees. They can keep surplus money for future campaigns or preparation for candidacy, with separate election accounting. Surplus placed in a separate fund does not count as the original donor’s contribution toward the next election’s limit. Permitted expenses include advocacy events, legitimate professional security and related transportation, and reasonable replacement, repair, or cleaning of campaign-used items. Leadership committees can also replace, repair, or clean covered lost, stolen, dirty, or damaged items used in their operations.

Narrower participation trigger for ballot measures

Beginning January 1, 2027, spending $250 or more to support or oppose a ballot measure meets this campaign-finance participation test. Soliciting or receiving a contribution alone no longer meets this stated test.

Contribution cap for unsuccessful candidates

Beginning January 1, 2027, a $24,000 contribution limit applies to unsuccessful major-office candidates who do not enter the general election. It also covers party-primary candidates who do not enter the second party primary, primary, or general election. The cap applies while they have a deficit for spending through the primary or closed party primary. The same limit covers contributions from political or leadership committees to those candidates or their campaign committees.

Governor faces transition reporting penalties

Beginning January 1, 2027, the elected governor is subject to penalties for covered transition and inauguration reporting violations. These committees must file a full report within 60 days after inauguration. Annual reports follow by March 15, covering activity through January 31, until contributions are exhausted. Covered filing and accuracy penalties reach $100 per day, capped at $2,500; separate law violations carry penalties up to $500 each.

Uncashed campaign refunds become unclaimed property

Beginning January 1, 2027, contributions or loans above campaign limits must be returned. An excess-contribution refund check left uncashed for 12 months from its date is presumed abandoned. The candidate or committee must handle that money under Louisiana’s unclaimed-property law. The deadline is March 15 of the calendar year after the year the money became abandoned.

Broader choices for joint fundraising committees

Beginning January 1, 2027, joint fundraising participants can choose a committee as their representative, not only a political committee. The chosen committee must file an organization statement within 10 days after the fundraising agreement is signed. It must report contributions and distributions. Gifts, payments, and forgiven loans or debts count as contributions whether made directly or through a joint fundraising agreement.

Campaign reports identify donors and receipts

Beginning January 1, 2027, committee reports must identify donors whose covered contributions total more than $200 per calendar year. Reports must list totals, dates, amounts, and required noncash gift details; payroll deductions and dues check-offs use separate rules. Contributions to a recognized political party fall within campaign-finance rules once the party receives $1,000 in a calendar year. Candidates and committees must also explain cash receipts not reported elsewhere, including refunds, interest, and investment income.

Clearer payer labels on political ads

Beginning January 1, 2027, covered election ads within 60 days before an election must identify their payer and candidate authorization. Payer names must be spelled out; unaffiliated ads must also give a physical address and phone number or website. Spoken and visual notices must last at least four seconds; digital notices must meet text-size, placement, and contrast rules. Internet messages count as campaign spending when express advocacy is placed or promoted for a fee on another person’s platform. Media entities are exempt from the covered broadcast rules when they had no input or control over a paid ad.

Later deadlines for annual campaign reports

Beginning January 1, 2027, covered annual and supplemental reports move from February 15 or February 28 to March 15. A report filed after December 10 and before March 15 can replace a committee’s annual report when it includes all required information. Dissolved committees owing at least $5,000 must report yearly for five years, or until neither debt nor surplus remains. Candidates with deficits must resume reporting after the five-year period when they receive contributions or repay debt, filing by the following March 15. Leadership committee reports and the governor’s transition or inauguration reports are exempt from the amended section’s general reporting requirements.

Separate accounting for primary election donations

Beginning January 1, 2027, second party primaries expressly count as elections under campaign-finance law. Their reporting period begins the day after the primary election. Donors can designate contributions in writing for a second party primary or another listed election within one election cycle. Candidates must track money separately for each election. When an election-designated gift exceeds the donor’s limit, candidates can assign all or part to another election.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Caleb Kleinpeter

    Republican • Senate

Cosponsors

  • Adrian Fisher

    Democratic • House

  • Alonzo L. Knox

    Democratic • House

  • Chasity Martinez

    Democratic • House

  • Doyle Boudreaux

    Republican • House

  • Jack McFarland

    Republican • House

  • John E. Wyble

    Republican • House

  • Michael Robert Bayham Jr.

    Republican • House

  • Phillip DeVillier

    Republican • House

  • Shaun Raphael Mena

    Democratic • House

  • Steven Jackson

    Democratic • House

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 137 • No: 0

House vote • 5/26/2026

Read third time by title, amended, roll called on final passage, yeas 92, nays 0. Finally passed, ordered to the Senate.

Yes: 92 • No: 0

House vote • 5/12/2026

Reported favorably

Yes: 12 • No: 0

Senate vote • 5/5/2026

Senate floor amendments read and adopted. Read by title and passed by a vote of 33 yeas and 0 nays; ordered reengrossed and sent to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

Yes: 33 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Signed by the Governor. Becomes Act No. 773.

    6/1/2026Senate

  2. Effective date 1/1/2027.

    6/1/2026Senate

  3. Signed by the Speaker of the House.

    5/29/2026House

  4. Sent to the Governor by the Secretary of the Senate.

    5/29/2026Senate

  5. Enrolled. Signed by the President of the Senate.

    5/28/2026Senate

  6. Called from the calendar.

    5/26/2026House

  7. Read third time by title, amended, roll called on final passage, yeas 92, nays 0. Finally passed, ordered to the Senate.

    5/26/2026House

  8. Received from the House with amendments.

    5/26/2026Senate

  9. Read by title, returned to the calendar.

    5/19/2026House

  10. Notice given.

    5/19/2026House

  11. Scheduled for floor debate on 05/26/2026.

    5/19/2026House

  12. Read by title, amended, passed to 3rd reading.

    5/18/2026House

  13. Scheduled for floor debate on 05/19/2026.

    5/18/2026House

  14. Reported with Legislative Bureau amendments.

    5/13/2026House

  15. Reported favorably (12-0). Referred to the Legislative Bureau.

    5/12/2026House

  16. Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on House and Governmental Affairs.

    5/7/2026House

  17. Received in the House from the Senate, read by title, lies over under the rules.

    5/6/2026House

  18. Senate floor amendments read and adopted. Read by title and passed by a vote of 33 yeas and 0 nays; ordered reengrossed and sent to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

    5/5/2026Senate

  19. Read by title. Committee amendments read and adopted. Ordered engrossed and passed to third reading and final passage.

    4/27/2026Senate

  20. Reported with amendments.

    4/22/2026Senate

  21. Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Senate and Governmental Affairs.

    4/1/2026Senate

  22. Rules suspended. Introduced in the Senate. Read by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.

    3/31/2026Senate

Bill Text

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