HOUSE approps committee amendments [LINK] make the bill only take effect if the Legislature separately provides funding for it.

HOUSE committee amendments [LINK] make substantial changes and clarifications to salary levels.

Revises compensation, evaluation, duties, and removal processes for registrars of voters and key staff.

Key Provisions: 

- Expands grounds for registrar removal by the State Board of Election Supervisors. In addition to existing reasons—such as willful misconduct, persistent failure to perform duties, public conduct that discredits the office, and felony conviction—the bill adds the following new causes:

 • Incompetence: A registrar who lacks the ability, knowledge, or capacity to effectively perform the duties of the office may be removed. 

 • Consistent underperformance: Pattern of not meeting performance expectations over time. 

 • Abuse of leave policies: Misuse or excessive use of leave in violation of policies established by the secretary of state. 

 • Violation of substance abuse policies: Any breach of substance abuse rules adopted by the secretary of state. 

 • Two consecutive “unsuccessful” merit evaluations: A registrar receiving the lowest rating in back-to-back annual evaluations may be removed for failing to meet basic job standards.

- Authorizes the commissioner of elections, along with parish governing authorities, to initiate removal proceedings. 

- Prohibits registrars from terminating staff while under active removal consideration.

- Requires annual merit evaluations in January for registrars, chief deputies, and confidential assistants, with ratings of “excellent,” “successful,” “unsuccessful,” or “unrated.” 

- Grants step-based or 5% salary increases for “excellent” evaluations, capped at five such increases.

- Restricts office closures to extreme circumstances and requires essential functions to continue even if the office is closed.

The 5% salary increase is available to registrars, chief deputies, and confidential assistants who meet both of the following conditions:

1. Their salary is already at step 12, the highest level of the current step-based pay scale. 

2. They receive a rating of "excellent" on their annual merit evaluation.

If both conditions are met, the employee will receive a 5% raise instead of a step increase. Each employee may receive no more than five of these 5% increases over the span of their career.

Employees below step 12 will continue to receive step increases upon an "excellent" evaluation until they reach the top step. Once at step 12, the 5% raise serves as a continued incentive for high performance.

Proposes several amendments to the structure and function of Louisiana's Drug Policy Board. Key changes include:

·       Policy Update: The bill revises the state's policy language to focus on eliminating "substance and alcohol misuse" and their harmful consequences, replacing previous terms like "abuse" and "poisonous fruit."

·       Board Membership Expansion: The membership of the Drug Policy Board is increased from 23 to 25 members. New additions include:

o  A representative from the Board of Regents specializing in collegiate recovery education and behavioral health services.

o  An individual in recovery for at least five years who is actively engaged in substance use prevention and peer support efforts.

·       Role Adjustments: The bill updates certain positions within the board, such as replacing the representative from the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Program with the executive director of the office of drug policy within the governor's office.

·       Terminology Modernization: Throughout the document, terms like "substance abuse" are updated to "substance misuse," reflecting contemporary language preferences.

These board members serve without salary or per diem compensation, but they are reimbursed for travel, lodging and related expenses incurred while attending to board business in accordance with state employee reimbursement policies.

NO FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED, technical as there is already a Senate primary race on this date.

Authorizes a special statewide election on April 18, 2026, for proposed constitutional amendments adopted during the 2025 Regular Session. There is a New Orleans mayorial race in November,  which could heavily weight the outcomes of a statewide election.

Key Provisions: 

- Sets a special election for Saturday, April 18, 2026, to allow voters to consider constitutional amendments passed by both legislative chambers during the 2025 session. 

- Requires amendments to explicitly specify this special election date in the joint resolution to be included on the ballot. 

- Election must comply with the Louisiana Election Code. 

- Becomes effective upon the governor’s signature or after the legal timeframe for gubernatorial action. 

- The Act is null if no qualifying amendments are passed during the 2025 Regular Session.