MENTAL HEALTH: Provides for oversight of publicly funded homeless service providers

HLS 26RS-475 ENGROSSED
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 616
BY REPRESENTATIVE KNOX
MENTAL HEALTH: Provides for oversight of publicly funded homeless service providers
1 AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 24:513(Q) and Part IV of Chapter 3 of Title 40 of the Louisiana Revised
3 Statutes of 1950, to be comprised of R.S. 40:581, relative to homelessness; to
4 provide for oversight of publicly funded homeless service providers; to provide for
5 the duties of the auditor; to require homeless service providers to submit certain
6 documentation upon request; and to provide for related matters.
7 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
8 Section 1. R.S. 24:513(Q) is hereby enacted to read as follows:
9 §513. Powers and duties of legislative auditor; audit reports as public records;
10 assistance and opinions of attorney general; frequency of audits; subpoena
11 power
12 * * *
13 Q. The legislative auditor may review and prepare a report on publicly
14 funded homeless service providers in accordance with R.S. 40:581 for the purposes
15 of transparency and ensuring proper utilization of public funds.
16 Section 2. Part IV of Chapter 3 of Title 40 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950,
17 comprised of R.S. 40:581, is hereby enacted to read as follows:
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HLS 26RS-475 ENGROSSED
HB NO. 616
1 PART IV. SERVICES FOR INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS
2 §581. Oversight of publicly funded homeless service providers
3 A. Any continuum of care organization or homeless services provider that
4 receives state or local public funds shall, upon request of the legislative auditor or
5 a parish president or a governing body of a municipality providing such funds,
6 submit to a legislative audit pursuant to R.S. 24:513 and provide the requesting
7 municipality with detailed documentation regarding:
8 (1) Program performance metrics, including housing outcomes and service
9 delivery statistics.
10 (2) Effectiveness in achieving stated goals and objectives.
11 (3) The use and allocation of public funds in an easy to read format, such as
12 a spreadsheet.
13 B. Failure to comply with the provisions of this Section may result in the
14 suspension or termination of public funding, subject to applicable laws and contract
15 provisions.
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 616 Engrossed 2026 Regular Session Knox
Abstract: Requires publicly funded homeless service providers to submit to audits and
provide performance and financial documentation.
Proposed law authorizes the legislative auditor to review and prepare a report on publicly
funded homeless service providers in accordance with proposed law.
Proposed law requires any continuum of care organization or homeless services provider that
receives state or local public funds to submit to a legislative audit upon request of the
funding entity and to provide requesting entity with detailed documentation regarding
program performance, effectiveness, and the use and allocation of public funds.
Proposed law authorizes the suspension or termination of public funding for a provider’s
failure to comply with these audit and reporting requirements, subject to applicable law and
contract provisions.
(Adds R.S. 24:513(Q) and R.S. 40:581)
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.