TAX/AD VALOREM TAX: Extends eligibility to certain trusts for an ad valorem tax exemption for a property owner who is at least sixty-five years of age or older (EN SEE FISC NOTE LF RV See Note)

Taxes

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Les Farnum
Last action: 2026-05-25
Official status: Signed by the Speaker
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill's effectiveness is contingent upon voter approval of a related constitutional amendment.

Expanding Tax Exemptions for Elderly Property Owners

This bill allows certain trusts to qualify for property tax exemptions if the trust owner is at least sixty-five years old and meets specific conditions.

What This Bill Does

Creates a new law that allows certain trusts to qualify for ad valorem tax exemptions if the settlor of the trust is at least sixty-five years old or older.
Requires that the settlor was previously the homeowner and transferred ownership of their home to the trust.
Specifies that the settlor must retain a usufruct on the homestead, meaning they have the right to use it even though they no longer own it outright.
Limits eligibility for this exemption based on constitutional provisions related to property tax exemptions.

Who It Names or Affects

Elderly homeowners who set up trusts with specific conditions.
Trusts that meet the requirements outlined in the bill.

Terms To Know

Settlor: The person who creates a trust and transfers property to it.
Usufruct: A legal right to use someone else's property, including the benefits from that property, without owning it outright.

Limits and Unknowns

The law will only take effect if a related constitutional amendment is approved by voters.
It applies to taxable years starting on or after January 1, 2028.

Amendments

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

Fiscal Note - HB961 Original With Proposed House Cmte Amendments

Filed

Plain English: Filed 3

This amendment summary is using official source text because generated interpretation was skipped for this run.
The official amendment text was available, but an easy plain-English summary could not be produced automatically during the last sync.

House Committee Amendment #2793 W&M Adopted

Adopted

Plain English: HCAHB961 4883 2793 HOUSE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by House Committee on Ways and Means to Original House Bill No.

HCAHB961 4883 2793 HOUSE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by House Committee on Ways and Means to Original House Bill No.
961 by Representative Farnum 1 AMENDMENT NO.
1 2 On page 2, line 8, after "2026" and before "of the" delete "R.S." and insert "Regular Session" Page 1 of 1 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored are additions.

House Committee Amendment #1685 W&M Draft

Draft

Plain English: HCAHB961 4883 1685 HOUSE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by House Committee on Ways and Means to Original House Bill No.

HCAHB961 4883 1685 HOUSE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by House Committee on Ways and Means to Original House Bill No.
961 by Representative Farnum 1 AMENDMENT NO.
1 2 On page 2, line 8, after "2026" and before "of the" delete "R.S." and insert "Regular Session" Page 1 of 1 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored are additions.

Bill History

2026-05-25 H
Enrolled and signed by the Speaker of the House.
2026-05-25 H
Received from the Senate without amendments.
2026-05-22 H
Sent to the Governor for executive approval.
2026-05-21 S
Signed by the President of the Senate.
2026-05-20 S
Rules suspended. Read by title, passed by a vote of 33 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.
2026-05-13 S
Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments. Read by title and passed to third reading and final passage.
2026-05-12 S
Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.
2026-05-11 S
Reported favorably.
2026-04-22 S
Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Revenue and Fiscal Affairs.
2026-04-21 S
Received in the Senate. Read first time by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.
2026-04-20 H
Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 97, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.
2026-04-20 H
Called from the calendar.
2026-04-14 H
Scheduled for floor debate on 04/20/2026.
2026-04-14 H
Notice given.
2026-04-14 H
Read by title, returned to the calendar.
2026-04-14 H
Called from the calendar.
2026-04-07 H
Scheduled for floor debate on 04/14/2026.
2026-04-07 H
Notice given.
2026-04-07 H
Read by title, returned to the calendar.
2026-04-01 H
Scheduled for floor debate on 04/07/2026.
2026-03-31 H
Read by title, amended, ordered engrossed, passed to 3rd reading.
2026-03-30 H
Reported with amendments (17-0).
2026-03-11 H
Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.
2026-03-10 H
Read by title. Lies over under the rules.

Official Summary Text

TAX/AD VALOREM TAX: Extends eligibility to certain trusts for an ad valorem tax exemption for a property owner who is at least sixty-five years of age or older (EN SEE FISC NOTE LF RV See Note)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

ENROLLED
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 961
BY REPRESENTATIVES FARNUM AND CHASSION
1 AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 47:1717, relative to ad valorem tax; to extend eligibility to certain trusts for
3 the ad valorem tax exemption for property owners who are at least sixty-five years
4 of age or older; to provide for certain requirements; to provide for applicability; to
5 provide for an effective date; and to provide for related matters.
6 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
7 Section 1. R.S. 47:1717 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
8 §1717. Exemption for property of a person who is at least sixty-five years of age or
9 older or a surviving spouse; eligibility for certain trusts
10 A trust shall be eligible for the ad valorem tax exemption established
11 pursuant to Article VII, Section 21(P) of the Constitution of Louisiana, which
12 provides an exemption for a person who is at least sixty-five years of age or older or
13 a surviving spouse of the owner, if all of the following apply:
14 (1) The settlor of the trust meets the conditions for eligibility established
15 pursuant to Article VII, Section 21(P) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
16 (2) The settlor of the trust was the immediate prior owner of the homestead.
17 (3) The naked ownership of the homestead was transferred to the trust.
18 (4) The settlor retained a usufruct on the homestead.
19 (5) The settlor continues to occupy the homestead.
20 (6) The settlor would be eligible for the exemption established pursuant to
21 Article VII, Section 21(P) of the Constitution of Louisiana had he retained the naked
22 ownership of the homestead.
Page 1 of 2
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HB NO. 961 ENROLLED
1 Section 2. The provisions of this Act shall apply to taxable years beginning on or
2 after January 1, 2028.
3 Section 3. This Act shall become effective on January 1, 2028, but only if the
4 proposed amendment of Article VII of the Constitution of Louisiana contained in the Act
5 which originated as House Bill No. 514 of this 2026 Regular Session of the Legislature is
6 adopted at a statewide election and becomes effective.
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.