CAMPAIGN FINANCE DISCLOS: Provides for the use of campaign funds for clothing required for holding office

HLS 26RS-1488 ENGROSSED
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 996
BY REPRESENTATIVE DEWITT
CAMPAIGN FINANCE DISCLOS: Provides for the use of campaign funds for clothing
required for holding office
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 18:1505.2(I)(2)(b)(iii), relative to expenditures made by a
3 candidate or his principal campaign committee or a leadership committee; to provide
4 that certain expenses are not presumed to be made for personal use; to provide for
5 expenditures for clothing required for holding state legislative office; and to provide
6 for related matters.
7 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
8 Section 1. R.S. 18:1505.2(I)(2)(b)(iii) is hereby amended and reenacted to read as
9 follows:
10 §1505.2. Contributions; expenditures; certain prohibitions and limitations
11 * * *
12 I.
13 * * *
14 (2)
15 * * *
16 (b) The following expenditures shall be presumed to be made for the
17 personal use of the candidate or his principal campaign committee or a subsidiary
18 committee thereof or an elected official or his leadership committee and shall be
19 prohibited unless the candidate, elected official, or committee overcomes the
20 presumption by showing by a preponderance of the evidence that the expenditure
21 was not for personal use:
22 * * *
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HLS 26RS-1488 ENGROSSED
HB NO. 996
1 (iii) Clothing expenses, except for the following:
2 (aa) Items items of de minimis value that are used in the campaign, such as
3 campaign shirts or hats, or.
4 (bb) Specialized specialized apparel necessary to attend a specific
5 fundraising event or event related to the holding of office.
6 (cc) For members of the legislature, clothing, including belts and footwear,
7 required for holding office and expenses for the cleaning and maintenance thereof.
8 The expenses provided for in this Subitem shall not exceed two thousand five
9 hundred dollars per calendar year.
10 * * *
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 996 Engrossed 2026 Regular Session Dewitt
Abstract: Provides that expenditures by a member of the legislature for clothing, including
belts and footwear, required for holding office and expenses for the cleaning and
maintenance thereof are not presumed to be made for the personal use of the
candidate.
Present law provides that contributions received by a candidate or a candidate's principal
campaign committee, or any subsidiary committee thereof, may be expended for any lawful
purpose related to the holding of public office or party position. Further provides that
contributions received by a leadership committee shall not be used, loaned, or pledged by
any person for any personal use unrelated to the holding of the elected official's public office
or party position.
Proposed law retains present law.
Present law provides that certain expenditures, including for clothing, are presumed to be
made for the personal use of the candidate or his principal campaign committee or a
subsidiary committee thereof or an elected official or his leadership committee and shall be
prohibited unless the candidate, elected official, or committee overcomes the presumption
by showing by a preponderance of the evidence that the expenditure was not for personal
use.
Present law provides exceptions to the presumption that clothing expenditures are made for
personal use, including:
(1) Items of de minimis value that are used in the campaign, such as campaign shirts or
hats.
(2) Specialized apparel necessary to attend a specific fundraising event or event related
to the holding of office.
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HLS 26RS-1488 ENGROSSED
HB NO. 996
Proposed law retains present law and provides an additional exception that expenditures by
a member of the legislature for clothing, including belts and footwear, required for holding
office and expenses for the cleaning and maintenance thereof are not presumed to be made
for personal use. Provides that such expenditures shall not exceed $2,500 per year.
(Amends R.S. 18:1505.2(I)(2)(b)(iii))
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on House and
Governmental Affairs to the original bill:
1. Narrow the proposed law authorization to apply to only state legislators.
2. Provide a $2,500 per year limit on expenditures for clothing and related expenses
that are not presumed to be for personal use.
Page 3 of 3
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.