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HLS 26RS-1031 ORIGINAL
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 361
BY REPRESENTATIVE TERRY LANDRY
VOTING/REGISTRATION: Provides for the reinstatement of the voter registration of a
person who is no longer under an order of imprisonment
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 18:177(A), relative to the reinstatement of voter registration; to
3 provide for reinstatement for a person who is no longer under an order of
4 imprisonment or has not been incarcerated pursuant to the order for five years; to
5 provide for a reinstatement application; to provide for the duties of the secretary of
6 state; to provide for notification to the registrar of voters; to provide for the duties
7 of the registrar; and to provide for related matters.
8 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
9 Section 1. R.S. 18:177(A) is hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows:
10 §177. Reinstatement of registration after suspension
11 A.(1) The registration of a person whose registration has been suspended by
12 the registrar of voters pursuant to R.S. 18:176(A) shall be reinstated by the registrar
13 upon submission of a voter reinstatement application developed by the secretary of
14 state and approved by the attorney general and upon any of the following:
15 (1) For a person whose registration is suspended for a state felony conviction
16 or for an out of state felony conviction when probation or parole has been transferred
17 to the state of Louisiana, the person is no longer identified on a report provided to
18 the registrar by the Department of State pursuant to R.S. 18:171(C).
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
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HLS 26RS-1031 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 361
1 (2) The registrar receives notice that a judgment of conviction for which the
2 registration was suspended was overturned or vacated pursuant to R.S. 18:171(D) or
3 171.1(D).
4 (3) The registrar receives when the person appears in the office of the
5 registrar and provides documentation from the appropriate correction official
6 showing that such the person is no longer under an order of imprisonment or, if the
7 person is under such an order, that the person has not been incarcerated pursuant to
8 the order within the last five years and the person is not under an order of
9 imprisonment related to a felony conviction pursuant to election fraud or any other
10 election offense pursuant to R.S. 18:1461.2. Such documentation may be delivered
11 by mail, facsimile, commercial carrier, or hand delivery, or by electronic submission
12 in a method approved by the secretary of state.
13 (2) Notwithstanding the provisions of Paragraph (1) of this Subsection, such
14 documentation may be provided by mail, facsimile, commercial carrier, or hand
15 delivery for the following:
16 (a) A person who has been approved by the parish board of election
17 supervisors as being eligible to participate in the Special Program for Handicapped
18 Voters as such program existed prior to January 1, 2010.
19 (b) A person who has submitted to the registrar current proof of disability
20 from a physician along with a certification from the physician indicating that by
21 reason of the person's disability the person is unable to appear in person to vote
22 either during early voting or at the polling place on election day.
23 * * *
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 361 Original 2026 Regular Session Terry Landry
Abstract: Requires the registrar to reinstate the voter registration of a person whose
registration was suspended following an order of imprisonment upon submission of
a voter reinstatement application and if the person is no longer identified as subject
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
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HLS 26RS-1031 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 361
to suspension on certain lists submitted to the registrar or if the registrar receives
certain documentation showing the person is no longer subject to suspension.
Present constitution (La. Const. Art. I, §10) provides that the right to vote may be suspended
for a person who is under an order of imprisonment for conviction of a felony.
Proposed law retains present constitution.
Present law (R.S. 18:102) provides that no person shall be permitted to register or vote who
is either under an order of imprisonment for conviction of a felony and has been incarcerated
pursuant to the order within the last five years, or convicted of a felony offense of election
fraud or any other election offense and is under and order of imprisonment.
Proposed law retains present law.
Present law (R.S. 18:176) requires the registrar of voters to suspend the registration of a
person who meets the above requirements.
Proposed law retains present law.
Present law (R.S. 18:171) requires the Dept. of Public Safety and Corrections to submit lists
to the Dept. of State identifying individuals who meet the requirements for suspension. The
Dept. of State is thereafter required to report the information received from the Dept. of
Public Safety and Corrections to the registrar of voters of each parish on no less than a
quarterly basis.
Proposed law retains present law.
Present law requires the clerk of court to give written notice of the vacation of a judgment
of conviction to the appropriate registrar of voters.
Proposed law retains present law.
Present law (R.S. 18:171.1) requires each U.S. attorney to give written notice to the secretary
of state of any felony conviction of a person for which there is an order of imprisonment and
for which the person is incarcerated pursuant to the order and notice of the vacation of a
judgment of conviction. The secretary of state is thereafter required to send to the registrar
of voters of each parish such information regarding persons with a definitive felony
conviction and the vacation of a judgment of conviction.
Proposed law retains present law.
Present law (R.S. 18:177) requires a person's registration to be reinstated only when the
person appears in the office of the registrar and provides documentation from the appropriate
correction official showing that he is no longer subject to suspension. Further provides that
the required documentation may be provided by mail, facsimile, commercial carrier, or hand
delivery only if the person is eligible to participate in the Special Program for Handicapped
Voters or the person has submitted current proof of disability to the registrar and otherwise
meets certain qualifications related to his disability.
Proposed law repeals present law and instead provides that a person's registration shall be
reinstated by the registrar upon submission of a voter reinstatement application developed
by the secretary of state and approved by the attorney general and upon any of the following:
(1) For a person whose registration is suspended for a state felony conviction or for an
out-of-state felony conviction when probation or parole has been transferred to La.,
the person is no longer identified on a report provided to the registrar by the Dept.
of Public Safety and Corrections in accordance with present law.
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HLS 26RS-1031 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 361
(2) The registrar receives notice that a judgment of conviction for which the registration
was suspended was overturned or vacated in accordance with present law.
(3) The registrar receives documentation from the appropriate correction official
showing that the person is no longer subject to suspension. Further provides that
such documentation may be delivered by mail, facsimile, commercial carrier, hand
delivery, or by electronic submission in a method approved by the secretary of state.
(Amends R.S. 18:177(A))
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.