This amendment changes the rules for printing government documents to ensure costs do not exceed a specific rate limit set by January 1, 2026.
Louisiana2026Enacted
HB481
Cost Limits for Publishing Official Notices
Last scannedAug 25, 2026, 3:26 AM
In one sentence
This law sets the maximum price that newspapers can charge local governments to publish official meetings and public notices.
What it does
- Sets a new rate of three cents per character for publishing in parishes without cities larger than one hundred thousand people.
- Sets a new rate of two cents per character for publishing in parishes with cities larger than one hundred thousand people.
- Changes the price for tables or pre-built notices to $2.76 per square inch in smaller areas and $3.96 per square inch in larger areas, based on six-point type.
- Requires that prices be adjusted if a notice uses text sizes larger than six points.
- Ensures no parish pays more than these new rates or the rate charged on January 1, 2026.
Who it affects
- Parish governments
- Municipalities (cities and towns)
- School boards
Limits and unknowns
- The new rates only apply starting August 1, 2026.
- This law does not change how newspapers calculate prices for other types of ads that are not official government notices.
Plain language
Terms to know
- Official proceedings
- Records of meetings held by local government groups.
- Public notices
- Announcements that the law requires governments to share with citizens.
- Prorated
- Adjusted based on size, such as when using larger text or different column widths.
Official record
Sources
Official summary
PUBLIC PRINTING: Provides for the cost of publishing official proceedings and public notices
Official activity
Bill history
- Effective date: 08/01/2026.H
- Becomes Act No. 924 without the Governor's signature.H
- Sent to the Governor for executive approval.H
- Signed by the President of the Senate.S
- Enrolled and signed by the Speaker of the House.H
- Received from the Senate without amendments.H
- Rules suspended. Read by title, passed by a vote of 33 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.S
- Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments. Read by title and passed to third reading and final passage.S
- Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.S
- Reported favorably.S
- Read by title. Recommitted to the Committee on Local and Municipal Affairs.S
- Rules suspended. Recalled from Committee.S
- Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Senate and Governmental Affairs.S
- Received in the Senate. Read first time by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.S
- Read third time by title, amended, roll called on final passage, yeas 77, nays 18. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.H
- Called from the calendar.H
- Scheduled for floor debate on 04/27/2026.H
- Notice given.H
- Read by title, returned to the calendar.H
- Scheduled for floor debate on 04/22/2026.H
Changes
Amendments
1 stored