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HLS 26RS-873 ENGROSSED
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 752
BY REPRESENTATIVE GREEN
LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS: (Constitutional Amendment) Provides that the timing and
duration of regular sessions of the legislature may be set by joint rule of the
legislature
1 A JOINT RESOLUTION
2 Proposing to amend Article III, Section 2(A) of the Constitution of Louisiana and to repeal
3 Article III, Section 2(D) of the Constitution of Louisiana, relative to sessions of the
4 legislature; to provide for regular sessions of the legislature; to provide for the
5 authority of the legislature relative thereto; to remove certain deadlines and
6 restrictions related to regular sessions; to remove provisions relative to
7 organizational sessions; to provide for the extension of a regular session in certain
8 circumstances; to provide for submission of the proposed amendment to the electors;
9 and to provide for related matters.
10 Section 1. Be it resolved by the Legislature of Louisiana, two-thirds of the members
11 elected to each house concurring, that there shall be submitted to the electors of the state of
12 Louisiana, for their approval or rejection in the manner provided by law, a proposal to
13 amend Article III, Section 2(A) of the Constitution of Louisiana, to read as follows:
14 §2. Sessions
15 Section 2.(A) Annual Regular Session. (1) The legislature shall meet
16 annually in regular session for a limited number of legislative days in the state
17 capital. A legislative day is a calendar day on which either house is in session.
18 (2)(a) No member of the legislature may introduce more than five bills that
19 were not prefiled, except as provided in the joint rules of the legislature.
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HB NO. 752
1 (b) Except as provided in Subsubparagraph (c) of this Subparagraph, any bill
2 that is to be prefiled for introduction in either house shall be prefiled no later than
3 five o'clock in the evening of the tenth calendar day prior to the first day of a regular
4 session.
5 (c) Any bill to effect any change in laws relating to any retirement system
6 for public employees that is to be prefiled for introduction in either house shall be
7 prefiled no later than five o'clock in the evening of the forty-fifth calendar day prior
8 to the first day of a regular session.
9 (d) The legislature is authorized to provide by joint rule for the procedures
10 for passage of duplicate or companion instruments.
11 (3)(a) All regular sessions convening in even-numbered years shall be
12 general in nature and shall convene at noon on the second Monday in March. The
13 legislature shall meet in such a session for not more than sixty legislative days. No
14 such session shall continue beyond six o'clock in the evening of the eighty-fifth
15 calendar day after convening except as provided in Subparagraph (5) of this
16 Paragraph. No new matter intended to have the effect of law shall be introduced or
17 received by either house after six o'clock in the evening of the twenty-third calendar
18 day. No matter intended to have the effect of law, except a measure proposing a
19 suspension of law, shall be considered on third reading and final passage in either
20 house after six o'clock in the evening of the fifty-seventh legislative day or the
21 eighty-second calendar day, whichever occurs first, except by a favorable record vote
22 of two-thirds of the elected members of each house.
23 (b) No measure levying or authorizing a new tax by the state or by any
24 statewide political subdivision whose boundaries are coterminous with the state;
25 increasing an existing tax by the state or by any statewide political subdivision
26 whose boundaries are coterminous with the state; or legislating with regard to tax
27 exemptions, exclusions, deductions or credits, shall be introduced or enacted during
28 a regular session held in an even-numbered year.
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HB NO. 752
1 (4)(a) All regular sessions convening in odd-numbered years shall convene
2 at noon on the second Monday in April. The legislature shall meet in such a session
3 for not more than forty-five legislative days. No such session shall continue beyond
4 six o'clock in the evening of the sixtieth calendar day after convening except as
5 provided in Subparagraph (5) of this Paragraph. No new matter intended to have the
6 effect of law shall be introduced or received by either house after six o'clock in the
7 evening of the tenth calendar day. No matter intended to have the effect of law,
8 except a measure proposing a suspension of law, shall be considered on third reading
9 and final passage in either house after six o'clock in the evening of the forty-second
10 legislative day or fifty-seventh calendar day, whichever occurs first, except by a
11 favorable record vote of two-thirds of the elected members of each house.
12 (b) During any session convening in an odd-numbered year, no matter
13 intended to have the effect of law, including any suspension of law, shall be
14 introduced or considered unless its object is to enact the General Appropriation Bill;
15 enact the comprehensive capital budget; make an appropriation; levy or authorize a
16 new tax; increase an existing tax; levy, authorize, increase, decrease, or repeal a fee;
17 dedicate revenue; legislate with regard to tax exemptions, exclusions, deductions,
18 reductions, repeals, or credits; or legislate with regard to the issuance of bonds. In
19 addition, a matter intended to have the effect of law, including a measure proposing
20 a suspension of law, which is not within the subject matter restrictions provided in
21 this Subparagraph may be considered at any such session if:
22 (i) It is prefiled no later than the deadline provided in Subparagraph (2) of
23 this Paragraph, provided that the member shall not prefile more than five such
24 matters pursuant to this Subsubparagraph; or
25 (ii) Its object is to enact a local or special law which is required to be and has
26 been advertised in accordance with Section 13 of this Article and which is not
27 prohibited by the provisions of Section 12 of this Article.
28 (1) The legislature shall convene at least once in every year, and such
29 meeting shall begin on the second Monday in January, unless the legislature provides
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HB NO. 752
1 otherwise by joint rule adopted by a favorable vote of two-thirds of the elected
2 members of each house appointing a different day, and adjourn sine die no later than
3 May first. The legislature may provide for sessions by joint rule adopted by a
4 favorable vote of two-thirds of the elected members of each house.
5 (5) (2) Notwithstanding any contrary provision of Subsubparagraphs (3)(a)
6 and (4)(a) of this Paragraph Paragraph (1) of this Subsection and only if necessary
7 to finally pass a bill appropriating money, the legislature, by a favorable record vote
8 of two-thirds of the elected members of each house, may extend a regular session in
9 increments of two legislative or calendar days. During the time that a regular session
10 has been extended, the legislature shall not consider any matter having the effect of
11 law other than those contained in a bill appropriating money. No regular session
12 shall be extended more than six calendar days beyond the original time and day for
13 the session to adjourn sine die.
14 * * *
15 Section 2. Be it resolved by the Legislature of Louisiana, two-thirds of the members
16 elected to each house concurring, that there shall be submitted to the electors of the state of
17 Louisiana, for their approval or rejection in the manner provided by law, a proposal to repeal
18 Article III, Section 2(D) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
19 Section 3. Be it further resolved that this proposed amendment shall be submitted
20 to the electors of the state of Louisiana at the statewide election to be held on November 3,
21 2026.
22 Section 4. Be it further resolved that on the official ballot to be used at the election,
23 there shall be printed a proposition, upon which the electors of the state shall be permitted
24 to vote YES or NO, to amend the Constitution of Louisiana, which proposition shall read as
25 follows:
26 Do you support an amendment to provide that the regular sessions of the
27 legislature will begin each year on the second Monday in January and end no
28 later than May first; to remove subject matter restrictions and deadlines for
29 prefiling, introduction, and final passage of legislative instruments from the
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HB NO. 752
1 session-related provisions of the constitution; and to allow the legislature to
2 change the timing of annual sessions by a joint rule adopted by two-thirds
3 vote of the elected members of each house of the legislature? (Amends
4 Article III, Section 2(A); Repeals Article III, Section 2(D))
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 752 Engrossed 2026 Regular Session Green
Abstract: Provides that the regular sessions of the legislature will begin each year on the
second Monday in Jan. and end no later than May first; removes provisions for
organizational sessions and subject matter restrictions and deadlines for prefiling,
introduction, and final passage of legislative instruments in the provisions for
sessions; and authorizes the legislature to provide for sessions by joint rule adopted
by a two-thirds vote.
Present constitution provides that in even-numbered years the regular session of the
legislature convenes at noon on the second Monday in March, in which the legislature shall
meet for not more than 60 legislative days during a period of 85 calendar days.
Present constitution prohibits the introduction or enactment of any measure levying or
authorizing a new tax or increasing an existing tax by the state or any statewide political
subdivision, or legislating with regard to tax exemptions, exclusions, dedications, or credits
during a regular session convening in an even-numbered year.
Present constitution provides that in odd-numbered years the legislature shall convene at
noon on the second Monday in April, in which the legislature shall meet for not more than
45 legislative days during a period of 60 calendar days.
Present constitution provides that during any session convening in an odd-numbered year,
no matter shall be introduced or considered unless its object is to enact the General
Appropriation Bill or the comprehensive capital budget, to make an appropriation, levy or
authorize a new tax, increase an existing tax, levy, authorize, increase, decrease, or repeal
a fee, dedicate revenue, legislate with regard to tax exemptions, exclusions, deductions,
reductions, repeals, or credits, or legislate with regard to the issuance of bonds. Provides
exceptions to this subject matter limitation, including allowing members to prefile up to five
"general" matters and local and special bills which are required to be advertised.
Present constitution requires a bill that is to be prefiled for introduction to be prefiled no
later than 5 p.m. of the 10th calendar day prior to the first day of a regular session. Provides
that a bill to effect a change in a retirement system for public employees to be prefiled for
introduction shall be prefiled no later than 5 p.m. of the 45th calendar day prior to the first
day of a regular session.
Present constitution provides deadlines for introduction of matters intended to have the
effect of law in each regular session. Provides deadlines for consideration on third reading
and final passage of such matters in each regular session, except by a two-thirds vote of each
house.
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HB NO. 752
Proposed constitutional amendment repeals present constitution and provides instead that
the legislature shall meet in regular session at least once in every year and such session shall
begin at noon on the second Monday in Jan. and adjourn sine die no later than May first,
unless the legislature provides otherwise by joint rule adopted by a favorable vote of two-
thirds of the elected members of each house.
Present constitution provides that the legislature by a favorable record vote of two-thirds of
the elected members of each house, may extend a regular session in increments of two
legislative or calendar days for the purpose to finally pass a bill appropriating money.
Provides that during the time that a regular session has been extended, the legislature shall
not consider any matter having the effect of law other than those contained in a bill
appropriating money. Further provides that no regular session shall be extended more than
six calendar days beyond the original time and day for the session to adjourn sine die.
Proposed constitutional amendment retains present constitution.
Present constitution provides that the legislature shall meet in an organizational session in
the state capitol to be convened at 10:00 a.m. on the day the members are required to take
office. Provides that no such session shall exceed three legislative days. Further provides
that the session shall be for the primary purpose of judging the qualifications and elections
of the members, taking the oath of office, organizing the two houses, and selecting officers
and provides that no matter intended to have the effect of law shall be introduced at an
organizational session.
Proposed constitutional amendment repeals present constitution.
Provides for submission of the proposed amendment to the voters at the statewide election
to be held on November 3, 2026.
(Amends Const. Art. III, §2(A); Repeals Const. Art. III, §2(D))
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on House and
Governmental Affairs to the original bill:
1. Make technical changes.
2. Add repeal of provisions providing for organizational sessions.
3. Provides that the legislature shall convene at least once in every year, and such
meeting shall begin on the second Monday in January, unless the legislature
provides otherwise by joint rule adopted by a favorable vote of 2/3rds of the
elected members of each house appointing a different day, and adjourn sine die
no later than May first and provide that the legislature may provide for sessions
by joint rule adopted by a favorable vote of 2/3rds of the elected members of
each house.
4. Make conforming changes to ballot language.
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