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HLS 26RS-35 RE-REENGROSSED
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 175
BY REPRESENTATIVES HEBERT, ADAMS, BILLINGS, BOUDREAUX,
BROUSSARD, COX, DEWITT, DICKERSON, DOMANGUE, EGAN, FISHER,
FONTENOT, CHANCE HENRY, HORTON, ILLG, JACOB LANDRY, MACK,
MARCELLE, MARTINEZ, MILLER, SPELL, TAYLOR, WALTERS, WILEY,
AND WYBLE
LOTTERY: Creates the Veterans Service Grant Board and provides for allocation of lottery
proceeds
1 AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 47:9031 and 9032, relative to the lottery; to create the Veterans Service Grant
3 Board; to provide for the duties and functions of the board; to establish the Veterans
4 Service Grant Fund; to provide for the transfer, deposit, and use, as specified, of
5 monies in the Veterans Service Grant Fund; to provide for disbursements to
6 applicants; to provide for an effective date; and to provide for related matters.
7 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
8 Section 1. R.S. 47:9031 and 9032 are hereby enacted to read as follows:
9 §9031. Veterans Service Grant Board; disbursement of funds
10 A. The Veterans Service Grant Board, hereafter referred to as the "veterans
11 board", is hereby created to be solely responsible for the disbursement of the funds
12 in the Veterans Service Grant Fund to programs or entities with the purpose of
13 bettering the lives of veterans in this state. Veterans board members shall serve
14 without compensation and shall not require confirmation by the Senate.
15 B. The secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs shall serve as
16 chairman until the first meeting of the veterans board, at which time the veterans
17 board shall elect a chairman and vice chairman. The chairman and vice chairman
18 shall be elected annually.
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HLS 26RS-35 RE-REENGROSSED
HB NO. 175
1 C. The veterans board shall meet annually in person to review submitted
2 grant applications and disburse grant funds to selected applicants.
3 D. The veterans board shall consist of the following members:
4 (1) The secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs or his designee.
5 (2) The secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health or his designee.
6 (3) The secretary of Louisiana Economic Development or his designee.
7 (4) The state commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Department of
8 Louisiana, or his designee.
9 (5) The commander of the American Legion, Department of Louisiana, or
10 his designee.
11 (6) The state commander of the Disabled American Veterans, Department
12 of Louisiana, or his designee.
13 (7) A veteran of the United States Armed Forces appointed by the governor.
14 E. A majority of the veterans board shall constitute a quorum. Voting by
15 proxy, by representation, or by mail is prohibited.
16 F. The veterans board shall meet once a year to distribute proceeds received
17 from the Department of Treasury to the Veterans Service Grant Fund in the form of
18 one-time grants. Applicants shall be one of the following:
19 (1) Tax-exempt under Section 501(C)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and
20 in existence for three years.
21 (2) An accredited college or university in this state.
22 (3) The Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC).
23 (4) An established Veterans Court program pursuant to R.S. 13:5361 et seq.
24 (5) A police jury or municipal governing authority seeking to improve parish
25 veterans' service offices pursuant to R.S. 29:262.
26 G. The veterans board shall only consider applicants who seek to improve
27 the needs of veterans and their families. Each one-time grant shall be made in
28 amounts up to fifty thousand dollars. Applicants are not restricted from reapplying
29 for future grants.
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1 §9032. Veterans Service Grant Fund
2 A. There is hereby established in the state treasury, as a special fund, the
3 Veterans Service Grant Fund, hereafter referred to in this Section as the "fund". After
4 allocation of monies to the Bond Security and Redemption Fund as provided in
5 Article VII, Section (9)(B) of the Constitution of Louisiana, the treasurer shall
6 deposit into the fund five hundred thousand dollars from the Lottery Proceeds Fund
7 as provided in Article XII, Section 6 of the Constitution of Louisiana. Monies in the
8 fund shall only be appropriated for grants awarded by the Veterans Service Grant
9 Board in accordance with the provisions of R.S. 47:9031.
10 B. Monies in the fund shall be invested in the same manner as monies in the
11 state general fund. Interest earned on investment of monies in the fund shall be
12 credited to the fund. Unexpended and unencumbered monies in the fund at the end
13 of the fiscal year shall be deposited into the Lottery Proceeds Fund.
14 Section 2. This Act shall take effect and become operative if and when the proposed
15 amendment of Article XII of the Constitution of Louisiana contained in the Act which
16 originated as House Bill No. 165 of this 2026 Regular Session of the Legislature is adopted
17 at a statewide election and becomes effective.
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 175 Re-Reengrossed 2026 Regular Session Hebert
Abstract: Creates the Veterans Service Grant Board and provides for allocation and
distribution of lottery proceeds for the benefit of La. veterans.
Proposed law (R.S. 47:9031) creates the Veterans Service Grant Bd. and provides for
composition, recordkeeping, meeting requirements, and other matters relative to board
functions.
Proposed law requires the Veterans Service Grant Bd. to disburse funds through one-time
grants. Further provides certain criteria for grant applicants.
Proposed law (R.S. 47:9032) establishes the Veterans Service Grant Fund (fund) and
requires the treasurer to deposit $500,000 from the Lottery Proceeds Fund into the fund.
Provides for monies in the fund to be appropriated for grants awarded by the Veterans
Service Grant Bd. Requires the state treasurer to transfer any unencumbered and
unexpended monies at the end of the fiscal year to the Lottery Proceeds Fund.
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HLS 26RS-35 RE-REENGROSSED
HB NO. 175
Proposed law becomes effective upon adoption of the constitutional amendment contained
in House Bill No. 165 of the 2026 R.S.
(Adds R.S. 47:9031 and 9032)
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Administration of
Criminal Justice to the original bill:
1. Delete provisions creating a new lottery game to benefit veterans.
2. Change the name of the board from the "Veterans Game Board" to the "Veterans
Service Grant Board".
3. Change the initial chairman of the board from the chief executive officer of the
La. Lottery Corp. to the secretary of the La. Dept. of Veterans Affairs.
4. Delete language relative to the deposit of all generated lottery proceeds into the
Fund to instead require a deposit of $500,000 pursuant to the Constitution of La.
5. Require all unexpended and unencumbered monies to be deposited and credited
to the minimum foundation program instead of being returned to the Dept. of
Treasury.
6. Make technical changes.
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Appropriations to the
engrossed bill:
1. Provide for the appropriation of monies in the Veterans Service Grant Fund.
2. Require the transfer of unencumbered and unexpended monies at the end of the
fiscal year in the Veterans Service Grant Fund to the Lottery Proceeds Fund.
3. Make technical changes.
The House Floor Amendments to the reengrossed bill:
1. Provide for an effective date.
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are additions.