What is the status of HB359?

Signed into law as of June 3, 2026. Latest action: Effective date: 06/03/2026. (June 3, 2026).

Where is the official record for HB359?

On the Louisiana Legislature website: https://legis.la.gov/legis/BillInfo.aspx?s=26RS&b=HB359

Louisiana legislation · 2026 Regular Session

Louisiana HB359: ELECTIONS/CANDIDATES: Provides relative to the death of a candidate for a party primary office who is not affiliated with a major political party (EN NO IMPACT See Note)

Q: What is HB359?

HB359 is a bill in the Louisiana Legislature (2026 Regular Session): ELECTIONS/CANDIDATES: Provides relative to the death of a candidate for a party primary office who is not affiliated with a major political party (EN NO IMPACT See Note).

Q: What does HB359 do?

In its own words: An act To enact R.S. 18:410.8(C), relative to candidates who are not affiliated with a major political party; to provide for qualifying for the general election for a party primary office; to provide for the death of a candidate following the close of the qualifying period; to provide for the removal of the deceased candidate's name from the ballot; to provide relative to the counting of votes under certain circumstances; and to provide for related matters.

Status: Signed into law, June 3, 2026

What the bill says

An act To enact R.S. 18:410.8(C), relative to candidates who are not affiliated with a major political party; to provide for qualifying for the general election for a party primary office; to provide for the death of a candidate following the close of the qualifying period; to provide for the removal of the deceased candidate's name from the ballot; to provide relative to the counting of votes under certain circumstances; and to provide for related matters.

From the introduced text:

AN ACT To enact R.S. 18:410.8(C), relative to candidates who are not affiliated with a major political party; to provide for qualifying for the general election for a party primary office; to provide for the death of a candidate following the close of the qualifying period; to provide for the removal of the deceased candidate's name from the ballot; to provide relative to the counting of votes under certain circumstances; and to provide for related matters. Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana: Section 1. R.S. 18:410.8(C) is hereby enacted to read as follows: §410.8. Candidates not affiliated with a major political party; qualifying for the general election; death of a candidate * * * C. If a person who qualified as a candidate pursuant to this Section dies after the close of the qualifying period and before the time for closing the polls on the day of the general election, the name of the deceased candidate shall not be printed on the general election ballot. If the general election ballot was printed with the deceased candidate's name on it, any votes received by the deceased candidate shall be void and shall not be counted for any purpose whatsoever. Page 1 of CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored are additions. HLS 26RS-595 …

Read the full official text

Louisiana HB359: ELECTIONS/CANDIDATES: Provides relative to the death of a candidate for a party primary office who is not affiliated with a major political party (EN NO IMPACT See Note)

What the bill says

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