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HLS 26RS-793 ORIGINAL
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 209
BY REPRESENTATIVE BOYD
EMPLOYMENT/WAGES-MINIMUM: Provides relative to the state minimum wage
1 AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 13:753.1 and 1217 and Chapter 6-B of Title 23 of the Louisiana Revised
3 Statutes of 1950, to be comprised of R.S. 23:671 through 677, relative to minimum
4 wage; to establish a state minimum wage; to provide for an annual increase of the
5 minimum wage; to provide for civil remedies; to provide for damages; to provide for
6 venue; to provide for the limitation of actions; to require reporting of certain
7 information by the city, parish, and district clerks of court; to provide for exceptions;
8 to provide for enforcement; to provide for effectiveness; and to provide for related
9 matters.
10 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
11 Section 1. R.S. 13:753.1 and 1217 are hereby enacted to read as follows:
12 §753.1. Reporting of information to Louisiana Works for employer violation of
13 wage payments
14 A. Each city, parish, and district clerk of court shall maintain a docket of the
15 record of cases filed pursuant to R.S. 23:672.
16 B. The dockets required by Subsection A of this Section shall be submitted
17 monthly to Louisiana Works.
18 * * *
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HLS 26RS-793 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 209
1 §1217. Reporting of information to Louisiana Works for employer violation of
2 wage payments
3 A. The clerk of the civil district court shall maintain a docket of the record
4 of cases filed pursuant to R.S. 23:672.
5 B. The dockets required by Subsection A of this Section shall be submitted
6 monthly to Louisiana Works
7 Section 2. Chapter 6-B of Title 23 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950,
8 comprised of R.S. 23:671 through 677, is hereby enacted to read as follows:
9 CHAPTER 6-B. MINIMUM WAGE
10 §671. Minimum wage; establishment
11 A. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the state
12 minimum wage is established and set as follows:
13 (1) Beginning January 1, 2027, the minimum wage shall be set at ten dollars
14 per hour. Every employer in the state shall pay to each employee wages at a rate of
15 not less than ten dollars per hour for hours worked in a pay period, regardless of how
16 the time at work is measured.
17 (2) Beginning January 1, 2029, the minimum wage shall be set at twelve
18 dollars per hour. Every employer in the state shall pay to each employee wages at
19 a rate of not less than twelve dollars per hour for hours worked in a pay period,
20 regardless of how the time at work is measured.
21 (3) Beginning January 1, 2031, the minimum wage shall be set at fourteen
22 dollars per hour. Every employer in the state shall pay to each employee wages at
23 a rate of not less than twelve dollars per hour for hours worked in a pay period,
24 regardless of how the time at work is measured.
25 B. If, at any time, the federal minimum hourly wage rate set by Section 6 of
26 the federal Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, or a successor federal law, is raised to
27 a rate higher than the state minimum wage rate, then the state minimum wage rate
28 shall be increased to the rate of the federal minimum wage rate.
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HLS 26RS-793 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 209
1 §672. Civil Remedy
2 A. In addition to any other remedy provided by law, an employee shall have
3 a civil right of action for damages against an employer for a violation of the
4 provisions of R.S. 23:671.
5 B. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, such civil action
6 may be instituted in a parish, city, or district court of proper venue as follows:
7 (1) If the employer is a natural or juridical person, venue for the civil action
8 shall be proper if brought in the parish where the plaintiff is domiciled, or the parish
9 where the work or service subject to minimum wage was performed, or a parish of
10 proper venue pursuant to the general rules of venue as set forth in Code of Civil
11 Procedure Article 42.
12 (2) If the employer is the state, venue for the civil action shall be proper in
13 the Nineteenth Judicial District Court in East Baton Rouge Parish.
14 (3) If the employer is a public entity other than the state, venue shall be
15 proper in the parish of its domicile.
16 §673. Damages
17 Any employer who violates the provisions of R.S. 23:671 shall be liable to
18 the affected employee in the amount of the difference between the amount that the
19 employee was paid and the amount the employer was statutorily obligated to pay
20 pursuant to R.S. 23:671, plus reasonable attorney fees and court costs associated with
21 the civil action.
22 §674. Limitation of action
23 Any civil action filed to recover wages for a violation of this Chapter shall
24 commence within one year from the date that an employee becomes aware that the
25 employer is in violation of this Chapter.
26 §675. Notification of information
27 A.(1) The clerk for each court, including the civil district court for the parish
28 of Orleans, shall maintain a docket for the record of cases filed pursuant to the
29 provisions of this Chapter.
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HLS 26RS-793 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 209
1 (2) The dockets required in Subsection A of this Section shall be submitted
2 monthly to Louisiana Works.
3 B. On March first, and annually thereafter, Louisiana Works shall compile
4 a list of the names of the employers who have violated the provisions of this Chapter,
5 the number of employees affected thereby, and the dollar amount of each violation
6 and submit the list of such information to the House and Senate committees on labor
7 and industrial relations and the office of the governor.
8 §676. Exceptions
9 The provisions of this Chapter do not apply to the following:
10 (1) Student employees of private employers.
11 (2) Tipped employees and agricultural employees as defined by the federal
12 Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, or a successor federal law.
13 §677. Enforcement
14 Louisiana Works shall enforce this Chapter and may promulgate rules and
15 regulations in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act, R.S. 49:950 et
16 seq., necessary for the implementation of the provisions of this Chapter.
17 Section 3.(A) The monthly dockets required by the provisions of R.S. 13:753.1 and
18 1217 and R.S. 23:675 as enacted by Sections 1 and 2 of this Act shall be due beginning
19 February 1, 2027.
20 (B) The list required to be compiled and submitted by Louisiana Works as required
21 by the provisions of R.S. 23:675 as enacted by Section 2 of this Act shall be due beginning
22 March 1, 2028.
23 Section 4. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
24 signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature
25 by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If
26 this Act is vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act
27 shall become effective on the day following such approval.
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HLS 26RS-793 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 209
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 209 Original 2026 Regular Session Boyd
Abstract: Establishes a state minimum wage rate.
Proposed law requires each city, parish, and district clerk of court to maintain a docket of
the record of cases filed pursuant to proposed law. Proposed law further requires these
dockets to be submitted monthly to La. Works.
Proposed law requires the clerk of the civil district court for Orleans Parish to maintain a
docket of the record of cases filed pursuant to proposed law. Proposed law further requires
these dockets to be submitted monthly to La. Works.
Proposed law establishes a state minimum wage and sets it at $10 per hour beginning Jan.
1, 2027.
Proposed law provides that the state minimum wage shall be $12 per hour beginning Jan. 1,
2029.
Proposed law provides that the state minimum wage shall be $14 per hour beginning Jan. 1,
2031.
Proposed law requires that if the federal minimum wage is raised, the state minimum wage
shall also be raised to that level.
Proposed law provides that in addition to any other remedy provided by law, an employee
shall have a civil right of action for damages against an employer for a violation of the
provisions of proposed law.
Proposed law provides that the employee may file a civil action in a parish, city, or district
court of proper venue in the following manner:
(1) If the employer is a natural or juridical person, venue for the civil action shall be
proper if brought in the parish where the plaintiff is domiciled, or the parish where
the work or service subject to minimum wage was performed, or a parish of proper
venue pursuant to present law.
(2) If the employer is the state, venue for the civil action shall be proper in the 19th
Judicial District Court in East Baton Rouge Parish.
(3) If the employer is a public entity other than the state, venue shall be proper in the
parish of its domicile.
Proposed law provides that any employer who violates the provisions of proposed law shall
be liable to the affected employee in the amount of the difference between the amount that
the employee was paid and the amount the employer was statutorily obligated to pay, plus
reasonable attorney fees and court costs associated with the civil action.
Proposed law provides that any civil action filed to recover wages for a violation of proposed
law shall commence within one year from the date that an employee becomes aware that the
employer is in violation of proposed law.
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HLS 26RS-793 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 209
Proposed law provides that on each March 1st, and annually thereafter, La. Works shall
compile a list of the names of the employers who violated the provisions of proposed law,
the number of employees affected, and the dollar amount of each violation. Proposed law
further provides that La. Works shall submit an annual list of the aforementioned
information to the House and Senate committees on labor and industrial relations and the
governor's office.
Proposed law exempts student employees of private employers and tipped and agricultural
employees as defined by federal laws.
Proposed law provides that La. Works shall enforce proposed law and is authorized to
promulgate rules and regulations in accordance with present law, necessary for the
implementation of the provisions of proposed law.
Beginning Feb. 1, 2027, dockets required by proposed law shall be submitted monthly to La.
Works.
Beginning March 1, 2028, La. Works shall compile the list of information required by
proposed law.
Effective upon signature of governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Adds R.S. 13:753.1 and 1217 and R.S. 23:671-677)
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