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HB450 • 2026

CIVIL SERVICE/FIRE & POL: Provides relative to points awarded to veterans in competitive fire and police civil service employment

CIVIL SERVICE/FIRE & POL: Provides relative to points awarded to veterans in competitive fire and police civil service employment

Labor
Enacted

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

Sponsor
Timothy P. Kerner
Last action
2026-05-15
Official status
Signed by the Governor - Act 160
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material did not provide specific details on the updates to existing laws beyond adding points for veterans.

Veterans' Points for Fire and Police Jobs

This act changes the rules to give veterans extra points when they apply for entry-level fire or police jobs in Louisiana.

What This Bill Does

  • Adds five bonus points to a veteran's test score when applying for entry-level fire or police positions.
  • Requires proof of military service and honorable discharge from the applicant.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Veterans applying for entry-level fire or police jobs in Louisiana.
  • Fire and police departments that use a civil service system for hiring.

Terms To Know

Civil Service
A system used by government agencies to hire employees based on merit, often through competitive exams.
Honorably Discharged
Leaving the military with a positive record and recommendation from superiors.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The act only applies to entry-level positions in fire and police departments.
  • It does not change rules for other types of government jobs or private sector employment.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

Plain English: HCAHB450 4024 3441 HOUSE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by House Committee on Municipal, Parochial and Cultural Affairs to Original House Bill No.

  • HCAHB450 4024 3441 HOUSE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by House Committee on Municipal, Parochial and Cultural Affairs to Original House Bill No.
  • 450 by Representative Kerner 1 AMENDMENT NO.
  • 1 2 On page 1, line 20, after "war" and before "for" insert "or" 3 AMENDMENT NO.
  • 2 4 On page 2, line 17, after "war" and before "for" insert "or" Page 1 of 1 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored are additions.

Plain English: HCAHB450 4024 1630 HOUSE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by House Committee on Municipal, Parochial and Cultural Affairs to Original House Bill No.

  • HCAHB450 4024 1630 HOUSE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by House Committee on Municipal, Parochial and Cultural Affairs to Original House Bill No.
  • 450 by Representative Kerner 1 AMENDMENT NO.
  • 1 2 On page 1, line 20, after "war" and before "for" insert "or" 3 AMENDMENT NO.
  • 2 4 On page 2, line 17, after "war" and before "for" insert "or" Page 1 of 1 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored are additions.

Bill History

  1. 2026-05-15 H

    Effective date: 08/01/2026.

  2. 2026-05-15 H

    Signed by the Governor. Becomes Act No. 160.

  3. 2026-05-12 H

    Sent to the Governor for executive approval.

  4. 2026-05-12 S

    Signed by the President of the Senate.

  5. 2026-05-11 H

    Enrolled and signed by the Speaker of the House.

  6. 2026-05-07 H

    Received from the Senate without amendments.

  7. 2026-05-07 S

    Rules suspended. Read by title, passed by a vote of 35 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

  8. 2026-04-28 S

    Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments. Read by title and passed to third reading and final passage.

  9. 2026-04-27 S

    Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.

  10. 2026-04-22 S

    Reported favorably.

  11. 2026-04-20 S

    Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Local and Municipal Affairs.

  12. 2026-04-15 S

    Received in the Senate. Read first time by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.

  13. 2026-04-15 H

    Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 89, nays 0. The bill, having received two-thirds vote of the elected members, was finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.

  14. 2026-04-14 H

    Scheduled for floor debate on 04/15/2026.

  15. 2026-04-13 H

    Read by title, amended, ordered engrossed, passed to 3rd reading.

  16. 2026-04-09 H

    Reported with amendments (11-0).

  17. 2026-03-09 H

    Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Municipal, Parochial and Cultural Affairs.

  18. 2026-02-27 H

    First appeared in the Interim Calendar on 2/27/2026.

  19. 2026-02-26 H

    Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Municipal, Parochial and Cultural Affairs.

  20. 2026-02-26 H

    Prefiled.

Official Summary Text

CIVIL SERVICE/FIRE & POL: Provides relative to points awarded to veterans in competitive fire and police civil service employment

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
ENROLLED
ACT No. 1602026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 450
BY REPRESENTATIVE KERNER AND SENATORS BARROW, CARTER, CONNICK,
EDMONDS, HENRY, JACKSON-ANDREWS, JENKINS, KLEINPETER, PRICE,
STINE, AND WHEAT
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 33:2491(E) and 2551(5), relative to the fire and police civil
3 service; to provide relative to points awarded to veterans in competitive fire and
4 police civil service employment; to provide for military service requirements of
5 veterans in competitive fire and police civil service employment; and to provide for
6 related matters.
7 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
8 Section 1. R.S. 33:2491(E) and 2551(5) are hereby amended and reenacted to read
9 as follows:
10 §2491. Establishment and maintenance of employment lists
11 Except for the positions of entrance firefighter, entrance police officer,
12 entrance jailer, secretary to the chief, departmental records clerk, and for the entrance
13 classes for which the operation and maintenance of radio, alarm, or signal systems
14 for the respective fire or police service is the primary duty, the board shall establish
15 and maintain employment lists containing names of persons eligible for appointment
16 to the various classes of positions in the classified service, as follows:
17 * * *
18 E. Any person whose name is placed upon the competitive employment list
19 for the entrance or lowest ranking class in the classified service who has served in
20 the armed forces of the United States of America during the times of war or for one
21 hundred eighty days or more, and has been honorably discharged or discharged
22 under honorable conditions, shall have added to his final test score a total of five
23 points at the time of placing his name upon the list. Proof of such service and
Page 1 of 2
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HB NO. 450 ENROLLED
1 discharge shall be required by the board or the state examiner in any manner it deems
2 advisable.
3 * * *
4 §2551. Establishment and maintenance of employment lists
5 Except for the positions of entrance firefighter, entrance police officer,
6 entrance jailer, secretary to the chief, departmental records clerk, and for the entrance
7 classes for which the operation and maintenance of radio, alarm, or signal systems
8 for the respective fire or police service is the primary duty, the board shall establish
9 and maintain lists containing names of persons eligible for appointment to the
10 various classes of positions in the classified service as follows:
11 * * *
12 (5) Any person whose name is placed upon the competitive employment list
13 for the entrance or lowest ranking class in the classified service who has served in
14 the armed forces of the United States of America during time of war or for one
15 hundred eighty days or more, and who has been honorably discharged or discharged
16 under honorable conditions, shall have added to his final test score a total of five
17 points at the time of placing his name upon the list. Proof of such service and
18 discharge shall be required by the board or state examiner in any manner it deems
19 advisable.
20 * * *
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED:
Page 2 of 2
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.