HB192 • 2026

PROPERTY/EXPROPRIATION: (Constitutional Amendment) Prohibits expropriation of property by foreign adversaries

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: Charles Owen
Last action: 2026-05-26
Official status: Sent to the Secretary of State - Act 277
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on how the amendment will be enforced or who decides if an entity is a foreign adversary, leaving these points unclear.

Amendment to Protect Property from Foreign Adversaries

This amendment changes the Louisiana Constitution to prevent foreign adversaries and their agents from taking or damaging property without just compensation.

What This Bill Does

Adds a new rule in the Louisiana Constitution that stops foreign adversaries and their agents from taking or damaging someone's property without paying for it fairly.

Who It Names or Affects

People who own property in Louisiana
Foreign adversaries and their agents

Terms To Know

foreign adversary: A country or group that is considered a threat to the United States.
expropriation: Taking someone's property for public use without their consent, usually with compensation.

Limits and Unknowns

The amendment does not define what 'foreign adversary' means.
It is unclear how this change will be enforced or who decides if an entity is a foreign adversary.

Bill History

2026-05-26 H
Effective date: See Act.
2026-05-26 H
Becomes Act No. 277.
2026-05-26 H
Taken by the Clerk of the House and presented to the Secretary of State in accordance with the Rules of the House.
2026-05-25 S
Signed by the President of the Senate.
2026-05-25 H
Enrolled and signed by the Speaker of the House.
2026-05-25 H
Received from the Senate without amendments.
2026-05-21 S
Rules suspended. Read by title, passed by a vote of 36 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.
2026-05-14 S
Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments. Read by title and passed to third reading and final passage.
2026-05-13 S
Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.
2026-05-12 S
Reported favorably.
2026-04-22 S
Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Judiciary A.
2026-04-21 S
Received in the Senate. Rules suspended. Read first time by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.
2026-04-21 H
Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 100, nays 0. The bill, having received two-thirds vote of the elected members, was finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.
2026-04-21 H
Called from the calendar.
2026-04-20 H
Scheduled for floor debate on 04/21/2026.
2026-04-20 H
Notice given.
2026-04-20 H
Read by title, returned to the calendar.
2026-04-20 H
Called from the calendar.
2026-04-14 H
Scheduled for floor debate on 04/20/2026.
2026-04-14 H
Notice given.
2026-04-14 H
Read by title, returned to the calendar.
2026-04-14 H
Called from the calendar.
2026-04-13 H
Scheduled for floor debate on 04/14/2026.
2026-04-13 H
Notice given.
2026-04-13 H
Read by title, returned to the calendar.
2026-04-09 H
Scheduled for floor debate on 04/13/2026.
2026-04-08 H
Read by title, ordered engrossed, passed to 3rd reading.
2026-04-07 H
Reported favorably (8-0).
2026-03-09 H
Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Civil Law and Procedure.
2026-02-20 H
First appeared in the Interim Calendar on 2/20/2026.
2026-02-18 H
Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Civil Law and Procedure.
2026-02-18 H
Prefiled.

Official Summary Text

PROPERTY/EXPROPRIATION: (Constitutional Amendment) Prohibits expropriation of property by foreign adversaries

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

ENROLLED
ACT No. 2772026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 192
BY REPRESENTATIVE OWEN AND SENATORS ALLAIN, BARROW, BASS,
CATHEY, CLOUD, EDMONDS, FESI, HODGES, JACKSON-ANDREWS,
MIGUEZ, PRESSLY, SEABAUGH, AND WHEAT
1 A JOINT RESOLUTION
2 Proposing to amend Article I, Section 4(B)(4) of the Constitution of Louisiana, relative to
3 the right to property; to prohibit expropriation by foreign adversaries; to provide for
4 submission of the proposed amendment to the electors; and to provide for related
5 matters.
6 Section 1. Be it resolved by the Legislature of Louisiana, two-thirds of the members
7 elected to each house concurring, that there shall be submitted to the electors of the state of
8 Louisiana, for their approval or rejection in the manner provided by law, a proposal to
9 amend Article I, Section 4(B)(4) of the Constitution of Louisiana, to read as follows:
10 §4. Right to Property
11 Section 4.
12 * * *
13 (B)
14 * * *
15 (4) Property shall not be taken or damaged by any private entity authorized
16 by law to expropriate, except for a public and necessary purpose and with just
17 compensation paid to the owner; in such proceedings, whether the purpose is public
18 and necessary shall be a judicial question. No private entity that is a foreign
19 adversary or an agent of a foreign adversary, as defined by law, shall take or damage
20 property.
21 * * *
22 Section 2. Be it further resolved that this proposed amendment shall be submitted
23 to the electors of the state of Louisiana at the statewide election to be held on November 3,
24 2026.
Page 1 of 2
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HB NO. 192 ENROLLED
1 Section 3. Be it further resolved that on the official ballot to be used at the election,
2 there shall be printed a proposition, upon which the electors of the state shall be permitted
3 to vote YES or NO, to amend the Constitution of Louisiana, which proposition shall read as
4 follows:
5 Do you support an amendment to prohibit expropriation of property by a
6 foreign adversary or an agent of a foreign adversary?
7 (Amends Article I, Section 4(B)(4))
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
Page 2 of 2
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.