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HLS 26RS-34 REENGROSSED
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 165
BY REPRESENTATIVE HEBERT
LOTTERY: (Constitutional Amendment) Provides relative to lottery proceeds benefitting
veterans
1 A JOINT RESOLUTION
2 Proposing to amend Article XII, Section 6(A)(1) of the Constitution of Louisiana, relative
3 to the lottery; to provide for certain lottery proceeds for the benefit of veterans; to
4 provide for appropriations from the Lottery Proceeds Fund; to provide for
5 submission of the proposed amendment to the electors; and to provide for related
6 matters.
7 Section 1. Be it resolved by the Legislature of Louisiana, two-thirds of the members
8 elected to each house concurring, that there shall be submitted to the electors of the state of
9 Louisiana, for their approval or rejection in the manner provided by law, a proposal to
10 amend Article XII, Section 6(A)(1) of the Constitution of Louisiana, to read as follows:
11 §6. Lotteries; Gaming, Gambling, or Wagering
12 Section 6.(A) Lotteries. (1) The legislature may provide for the creation and
13 operation of a state lottery and may create a special corporation for that purpose
14 whose employees shall not be subject to state civil service. The net proceeds from
15 the operation of the lottery shall be deposited in a special fund created in the state
16 treasury entitled the Lottery Proceeds Fund. Amounts deposited in the fund shall not
17 be appropriated for expenditure in the same calendar year in which they are received.
18 The legislature shall annually appropriate from the fund only for the purposes of the
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HLS 26RS-34 REENGROSSED
HB NO. 165
1 minimum foundation program and no more than five hundred thousand dollars for
2 services related to compulsive and problem gaming as may be provided by law. The
3 treasurer shall annually transfer five hundred thousand dollars from the Lottery
4 Proceeds Fund to the Veterans Service Grant Fund, for use as provided by law.
5 * * *
6 Section 2. Be it further resolved that this proposed amendment shall be submitted
7 to the electors of the state of Louisiana at the statewide election to be held on November 3,
8 2026.
9 Section 3. Be it further resolved that on the official ballot to be used at the election,
10 there shall be printed a proposition, upon which the electors of the state shall be permitted
11 to vote YES or NO, to amend the Constitution of Louisiana, which proposition shall read as
12 follows:
13 Do you support an amendment to allow the legislature to appropriate five
14 hundred thousand dollars from the Lottery Proceeds Fund to be used for the
15 benefit of Louisiana resident military veterans and their families? (Amends
16 Article XII, Section 6(A)(1))
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 165 Reengrossed 2026 Regular Session Hebert
Abstract: Provides for the transfer of monies from the Lottery Proceeds Fund to the
Veterans Service Grant Fund.
Present constitution provides for lottery proceeds to be appropriated only for the purpose of
the minimum foundation program and no more than $500,000 for services related to problem
gaming.
Proposed constitutional amendment retains present constitution and adds a provision
requiring the state treasurer to annually transfer $500,000 from the Lottery Proceeds Fund
to the Veterans Service Grant Fund, for use as provided by law.
Provides for submission of the proposed amendment to the voters at the statewide election
to be held Nov. 3, 2026.
(Amends Const. Art. XII, §6(A)(1))
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
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HLS 26RS-34 REENGROSSED
HB NO. 165
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Appropriations to the
original bill:
1. Remove the requirement that the legislature annually appropriate monies from
the Lottery Proceeds Fund associated with a new lottery game for the benefit of
La. veterans.
2. Require the treasurer to annually transfer $500,000 from the Lottery Proceeds
Fund to the Veterans Service Grant Fund, for use as provided by law.
3. Change the ballot language by removing the language related to creating a new
lottery game and adding language allowing the legislature to appropriate up to
$500,000 from the Lottery Proceeds fund to be used for the benefit of La.
military veterans and their families.
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Civil Law and
Procedure to the engrossed bill:
1. Revise ballot language.
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.