Requires the secretary of state to prepare and publish certain information concerning changes in election law (EN NO IMPACT See Note)
Summary
HB 405 requires the Louisiana secretary of state to update and publish election-law reference materials on the secretary of state’s website after a legislative session changes the Louisiana Election Code. Within 30 days of receiving the legislature’s revised final version of the Code, the secretary of state must post that revised code online. Within 90 days after final adjournment of a session that changes the Code, the secretary of state must also post links to each enacted legislative instrument affecting the Code, the effective date of each instrument, and the keyword and one-line summary for each item as shown on the legislature’s website.
The bill also requires the secretary of state’s website to include a link to the legislature’s bill information page so the public can access the text of each enacted instrument and its résumé digest. In practical terms, the measure is a transparency and public-access bill aimed at making election-law changes easier to find and understand, rather than changing election procedures themselves.
Impact
HB 405 amends Title 18 by adding a new duty for the secretary of state related to publication of the Louisiana Election Code and session-specific election-law changes. It affects the secretary of state’s administrative responsibilities and the public-facing election-law resources maintained on the state website, but it does not alter substantive election rules, voter eligibility, or election administration requirements. The bill was also described in the caption as having no fiscal impact.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have been broadly noncontroversial and received unanimous support in both chambers. It passed the House 95-0 and the Senate 39-0, indicating strong bipartisan agreement. The lack of committee transcript discussion suggests little visible opposition or debate, and the measure was treated as a straightforward government transparency and information-access update.
Contention
There is little evidence of substantive contention around HB 405. Because the bill is administrative and informational, any concerns would likely have centered on implementation details such as the secretary of state’s posting deadlines, website maintenance, or ensuring the accuracy and timeliness of links and summaries. However, the available record shows no recorded opposition, amendments, or committee debate, and the final votes were unanimous.