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-Title: HOUSE BILL NO. 1
-Official Title: HOUSE BILL NO. 1
-Number of Sections: 1
-Source: versions - HB1 Original
-Media Type: application/pdf
-Strikethrough Detection: 6 sections found
-
-================================================================================
-
-Section 1:
-HLS 251ES-7 ORIGINAL
-2025 First Extraordinary Session
-BY REPRESENTATIVE BEAULLIEU AND SENATOR KLEINPETER
-ELECTIONS/DATES: Provides for election dates for certain elections in 2026 (Item #1)
-1 AN ACT
-2 To enact Part I-B of Chapter 5 of Title 18 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, to be
-3 comprised of R.S. 18:419.1 and 419.2, relative to the conduct of elections in 2026;
-4 to provide for dates for spring elections in 2026; to provide for qualifying for spring
-5 elections in 2026; to provide for nominating petitions for spring elections in 2026;
-6 to provide for election campaign finance disclosure filing deadlines for 2026; to
-7 provide certain authorizations to the secretary of state; to provide for effectiveness;
-8 and to provide for related matters.
-9 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
-10 Section 1. Part I-B of Chapter 5 of Title 18 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of
-11 1950, comprised of R.S. 18:419.1 and 419.2, is hereby enacted to read as follows:
-12 PART I-B. SPECIAL PROVISIONS FOR CERTAIN ELECTIONS HELD IN 2026
-13 §419.1. Applicability of Part
-14 Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the provisions
-15 contained in this Part shall be applicable in 2026 to the spring elections for municipal
-16 and ward officers, for candidates in a party primary election for a party primary
-17 office, and for other elections held at the same time. It is the intent of the Legislature
-18 of Louisiana that the spring primary election occur on May 16, 2026, instead of April
-19 18, 2026, and that the spring general election occur on June 27, 2026, instead of May
-20 30, 2026. All other dates and deadlines related to the spring elections as provided
-Page 1 of 6
-CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
-are additions.
-HLS 251ES-7 ORIGINAL
-HB NO. 1
-1 for in this Code and not otherwise specifically provided for in this Part shall be
-2 calculated based upon the dates provided for in this Part.
-3 §419.2. Spring elections in 2026
-4 A. Notwithstanding R.S. 18:402(C)(1) or 410.10 or any other provision of
-5 law to the contrary, the following dates shall apply for the spring elections in 2026:
-6 (1) There shall be a spring primary election held on May 16, 2026, for
-7 municipal and ward officers elected in the spring of a nonpresidential congressional
-8 election year and for candidates in a party primary election for a party primary office
-9 to be elected in that year. Any contest, proposition, question, or constitutional
-10 amendment scheduled to appear on the ballot for the April 18, 2026, election shall
-11 instead appear on the ballot for the May 16, 2026, election.
-12 (2) There shall be a spring general election held on June 27, 2026, for
-13 municipal and ward officers and, if necessary, a second party primary for candidates
-14 in a party primary election for a party primary office to be elected that year. Any
-15 contest, proposition, or question scheduled to appear on the ballot for the May 30,
-16 2026, election shall instead appear on the ballot for the June 27, 2026, election.
-17 B.(1) Notwithstanding R.S. 18:467 or any other provision of law to the
-18 contrary, the qualifying period for candidates for the spring primary election in 2026
-19 and for all candidates for a party primary office to be elected in 2026, and those in
-20 any special primary election to be held at the same time, shall open on February 11,
-21 2026.
-22 (2)(a) Notwithstanding R.S. 18:410.5 or 465(B) or any other provision of law
-23 to the contrary, any signature collected on or after September 16, 2025, on a
-24 nominating petition for an office for which qualifying opens on February 11, 2026,
-25 shall be considered timely.
-26 (b) Notwithstanding R.S. 18:465(C)(3)(b), the number of qualified voters
-27 who must timely sign a nominating petition for a candidate for United States
-28 representative in Congress to be elected in 2026 is seven hundred fifty from within
-29 the state.
-Page 2 of 6
-CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
-are additions.
-HLS 251ES-7 ORIGINAL
-HB NO. 1
-1 (c) Notwithstanding R.S. 18:465(C)(1), the number of qualified voters who
-2 must timely sign a nominating petition for a candidate for United States senator to
-3 be elected in 2026 is two thousand five hundred from within the state.
-4 C.(1) Notwithstanding R.S. 18:1491.6(B)(1), each committee which is
-5 participating in the election of a candidate for major office in the May 16, 2026,
-6 election, excluding a candidate for party primary office, shall file a report as required
-7 by R.S. 18:1491.6 no later than November 20, 2025, which shall be complete
-8 through the one hundred ninetieth day prior to the May 16, 2026, election. However,
-9 it shall not be a violation of Chapter 11 of this Title for a committee to fail to file
-10 such a report prior to November 20, 2025.
-11 (2) Notwithstanding R.S. 18:1495.4(B)(1), each candidate for major office
-12 in the May 16, 2026, election, excluding a candidate for party primary office, shall
-13 file a report as required by R.S. 18:1495.4 no later than November 20, 2025, which
-14 shall be complete through the one hundred ninetieth day prior to the May 16, 2026,
-15 election. However, it shall not be a violation of Chapter 11 of this Title for a
-16 candidate to fail to file such a report prior to November 20, 2025.
-17 (3) A candidate who is required to file a supplemental report by February 15,
-18 2026, pursuant to R.S. 18:1495.4(D)(3)(b) shall instead file the supplemental report
-19 by March 2, 2026.
-20 (4) A candidate who is required to file an annual report by February 15,
-21 2026, pursuant to R.S. 18:1495.4(E) shall instead file the annual report by March 2,
-22 2026.
-23 D.(1) The secretary of state may make necessary changes to any rules,
-24 regulations, forms, instructions, statements, ballots, nominating petitions, early
-25 voting ballot instructions, or absentee by mail ballot envelopes, instructions,
-26 certificates, or other balloting paraphernalia to reflect the dates and deadlines
-27 provided for in this Part without approval as otherwise required by R.S. 18:18, 423,
-28 431, 552, or 1306.
-Page 3 of 6
-CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
-are additions.
-HLS 251ES-7 ORIGINAL
-HB NO. 1
-1 (2) The secretary of state may proceed with emergency rulemaking pursuant
-2 to R.S. 49:962 if necessary to implement the provisions of this Part.
-3 Section 2. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
-4 signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature
-5 by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If
-6 vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become
-7 effective on the day following such approval.
-DIGEST
-The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
-of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
-part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
-HB 1 Original 2025 First Extraordinary Session Beaullieu
-Abstract: Provides for the conduct of spring elections in 2026, including election dates, the
-date for the opening of qualifying, and special provisions for nominating petitions
-and campaign finance disclosure deadlines and provides certain authorizations to the
-secretary of state.
-Proposed law changes certain provisions in present law (Louisiana Election Code) applicable
-to 2026 spring elections for municipal and ward officers, for candidates in a party primary
-election for a party primary office, and for other elections held at the same time.
-Proposed law provides for the spring primary election in 2026 to occur on May 16, 2026,
-instead of April 18, 2026, and for the spring general election in 2026 to occur on June 27,
-2026, instead of May 30, 2026.
-Election dates
-Present law effective January 1, 2026, provides for a spring primary election to be held on
-the third Saturday in April (April 18, 2026) for municipal and ward officers elected in the
-spring of a nonpresidential congressional election year and for candidates in a party primary
-election for a party primary office to be elected in that year.
-Proposed law changes the date for the spring primary election to May 16, 2026, and requires
-any contest, proposition, question, or constitutional amendment scheduled to appear on the
-April 18, 2026, ballot to instead appear on the ballot for May 16, 2026.
-Present law effective January 1, 2026, provides for a spring general election to occur on the
-sixth Saturday after the third Saturday in April (May 30, 2026) for municipal and ward
-officers and, if necessary, a second party primary for candidates in a party primary election
-for a party primary office to be elected that year.
-Proposed law changes the date for the spring general election to June 27, 2026, and requires
-any contest, proposition, question, or constitutional amendment scheduled to appear on the
-May 30, 2026, ballot to instead appear on the ballot for June 27, 2026.
-Page 4 of 6
-CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
-are additions.
-HLS 251ES-7 ORIGINAL
-HB NO. 1
-Opening of qualifying
-Present law effective January 1, 2026, provides that the qualifying period of the spring
-primary election in 2026 for candidates in the spring primary election, for all candidates in
-a party primary office to be elected that year, and those in any special primary election to
-be held at the same time, opens on the second Wednesday in January (January 14, 2026).
-Proposed law instead provides that the qualifying period for the spring primary election in
-2026 for candidates in the spring primary election, for all candidates for a party primary
-office to be elected in 2026, and those in any special primary election to be held at the same
-time, shall open on February 11, 2026.
-Nominating petitions
-Present law effective January 1, 2026, provides that a person may only be nominated as a
-candidate in a primary election by persons who are registered to vote on the office he seeks
-who sign a nominating petition for him no more than 120 days before the qualifying period
-opens for candidates in the primary election (September 16, 2025).
-Proposed law provides that any signature collected on or after September 16, 2025, on a
-nominating petition for an office that will appear on the ballot for the May 16, 2026,
-election, shall be considered timely.
-Present law provides that the number of qualified voters who must timely sign a nominating
-petition for a candidate for United States representative in Congress is 750 from within the
-congressional district.
-Proposed law instead provides that the number of qualified voters who must timely sign a
-nominating petition for a candidate for United States representative in Congress for the
-May 16, 2026, election is 750 from within the state.
-Present law provides that the number of qualified voters who must timely sign a nominating
-petition for a candidate for United States senator is 2,500, not less than 250 of which shall
-be from each of the congressional districts into which the state is divided.
-Proposed law instead provides that the number of qualified voters who must timely sign a
-nominating petition for a candidate for United States senator for the May 16, 2026, election
-is 2,500 from within the state.
-Election campaign finance disclosure deadlines
-Present law effective January 1, 2026, provides that each committee which is participating
-in the election of a candidate for major office, excluding a candidate for party primary office,
-shall file a report no later than the 180th day prior to the primary election (October 20,
-2025), which shall be complete through the 190th day prior to the primary election.
-Proposed law requires that a committee required to file such a report for the May 16, 2026,
-election is to file the report no later than November 20, 2025, which shall be complete
-through the 190th day prior to the May 16, 2026, election. Provides that it is not to a
-violation of present law (Campaign Finance Disclosure Act) for a committee to fail to file
-the report prior to November 20, 2025.
-Present law effective January 1, 2026, provides that each candidate for major office which
-is participating in the election, excluding a candidate for party primary office, shall file a
-report no later than the 180th day prior to the primary election (October 20, 2025), which
-shall be complete through the 190th day prior to the primary election.
-Page 5 of 6
-CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
-are additions.
-HLS 251ES-7 ORIGINAL
-HB NO. 1
-Proposed law requires that a candidate required to file such a report for the May 16, 2026,
-election is to file the report no later than November 20, 2025, which shall be complete
-through the 190th day prior to the May 16, 2026, election. Provides that it is not to a
-violation of present law (Campaign Finance Disclosure Act) for a candidate to fail to file the
-report prior to November 20, 2025.
-Present law requires candidates to file certain supplemental and annual reports by
-February 15, 2026.
-Proposed law instead requires candidates to file such supplemental and annual reports by
-March 2, 2026.
-Authorization to the secretary of state
-Proposed law authorizes the secretary of state to make necessary changes to any rules,
-regulations, forms, instructions, statements, ballots, nominating petitions, early voting ballot
-instructions, or absentee by mail ballot envelopes, instructions, certificates, or other balloting
-paraphernalia to reflect the dates and deadlines provided for in proposed law without
-approval as otherwise required by present law.
-Proposed law authorizes the secretary of state to proceed with emergency rulemaking
-authority as provided in present law (Administrative Procedure Act) if necessary to
-implement the provisions of proposed law.
-Effective upon signature of governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
-(Adds R.S. 18:419.1 and 419.2)
-Page 6 of 6
-CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
-are additions.
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-================================================================================
-
-Raw Text:
 HLS 251ES-7 ORIGINAL
 2025 First Extraordinary Session
 HOUSE BILL NO. 1