Louisiana House Bill HCR15

Louisiana 2025 Regular Session

• Introduced: 4/15/25
• Refer: 4/16/25
• Report Pass: 5/7/25
• Engrossed: 5/27/25
• Refer: 5/28/25
• Report Pass: 6/4/25

Caption

Provides for limitations on appropriations to nongovernmental entities

Summary

House Concurrent Resolution 15 amends and readopts portions of Joint Rule No. 17 governing requests for state funding by nongovernmental entities. The resolution keeps the existing requirement that a nongovernmental entity seeking money from the General Appropriation Bill, capital outlay bill, or a supplemental appropriation bill submit a funding request form and supporting information by November 1 each year, with limited procedures for late submissions if approved by the appropriate legislative budget bodies. It also retains the requirement that a completed request form be filed for each funded entity. The main substantive change is a new limitation on appropriations: the General Appropriation Bill, the capital outlay bill, or any appropriation bill that includes funding for a budget unit or political subdivision of the state may not also include an appropriation for a nongovernmental entity that is neither a budget unit nor a political subdivision. The resolution is set to take effect July 1, 2025, and it amends legislative joint rules rather than the Louisiana Revised Statutes.

Impact

HCR 15 changes internal legislative procedures by tightening when and how nongovernmental entities can receive state funding through appropriation measures. It would bar nongovernmental entity appropriations from being included in certain major appropriation bills when those bills also fund state budget units or political subdivisions, while leaving the existing request-form process in place for eligible funding requests. Because it amends Joint Rule No. 17, the measure affects legislative budgeting and appropriations practice rather than directly changing substantive state law or creating new statutory programs.

Sentiment

The bill appears to have received generally favorable support in the House, passing final consideration by a 73-24 vote. The vote suggests a clear majority in favor of imposing tighter controls on appropriations to nongovernmental entities, likely reflecting concern about transparency, process, and limits on state spending. The absence of committee transcript material limits more detailed insight into debate, but the floor vote indicates the proposal was broadly acceptable to most members while still drawing meaningful opposition.

Contention

The main point of contention is the new prohibition on including nongovernmental entity appropriations in certain appropriation bills. Supporters likely view the change as a way to separate private or nonprofit funding from core state and local government appropriations and to impose stricter budget discipline. Opponents, as reflected by the 24 nays, may have objected to restricting access to state funding for nonprofits and other nongovernmental entities, or to reducing flexibility in the appropriations process. The bill does not identify specific affected organizations, but it would directly affect nonprofits and other nongovernmental applicants seeking state funds.