LouisianaLouisiana benefit administrators check applicants’ citizenship or immigration status
Public-benefit administrators check applicants’ citizenship or immigration status and report yearly results, while listed crisis-service providers follow specific recordkeeping rules.
What it does
Public-benefit administrators must check applicants’ citizenship or immigration status and report yearly results, including counts of people reported to federal immigration officials and people whose assistance ended.
Many providers serving people in crisis must request proof of status and keep certain records, but cannot be required to report someone solely because they could not verify that person’s status.
These rules do not apply to food or food incentives distributed by listed organizations, or to health care providers serving Medicaid recipients.
Argument forYearly reports and records for review could help state officials track status checks and changes to public assistance.
Argument againstStatus checks could worry some people and make them less likely to seek public benefits or crisis services, even when providers must keep offering some help.
More detail
Public-benefit administrators must check applicants’ citizenship or immigration status and report yearly results. This applies to state agencies, local governments, and entities that administer federal, state, or local public benefits. Verification is required only when federal law does not prohibit it. The yearly report must include counts of people reported to federal immigration officials and people whose public assistance ended under this section. Administrators must report at the end of each fiscal year.
Some service providers must request proof of status and keep records, but follow only specified parts of these rules. Covered providers include shelters, crisis centers, and nonprofit service providers for the listed groups. The rules generally do not apply to providers serving people affected by domestic abuse, sexual assault, sexual harassment, human trafficking, homelessness, disasters, or pregnancy; they must still request proof and keep records about proof, services, and other information needed for an audit. They do not have to report someone to federal immigration officials solely because they could not verify that person’s status, but must provide information in response to a lawful federal request as allowed by law. The rules do not apply to good-faith actions to protect life, health, safety, or access to essential services during emergencies, disaster response or recovery, or public-health operations.
Certain food programs and health care for Medicaid recipients are outside these rules. The health care exception applies to providers serving Medicaid recipients. The food exception covers food or food incentives distributed by organizations, farmers’ markets, farm stands, or nonprofit organizations.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Jun 8Signed by the Governor Jeff Landry. Becomes Act No. 795.Became Law
- Jun 8Effective date: 08/01/2026.
- Jun 1Signed by the President of the Senate.
- Jun 1Sent to the Governor for executive approval.To Governor
- May 31Enrolled and signed by the Speaker of the House.Minor
- May 29Scheduled for concurrence on 05/29/2026.
- Vote recorded CONCUR IN SENATE AMENDMENTS (#1730). Result: pass.Lower
- May 29Read by title, roll called, yeas 77, nays 22, Senate amendments concurred in.
- May 28Received from the Senate with amendments.Minor
- May 27Senate floor amendments read and adopted. Read by title, passed by a vote of 33 yeas and 3 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.Passed Senate
- Vote recorded FINAL PASSAGE (#1437). Result: pass.Upper
- May 26Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments. Read by title and passed to third reading and final passage.Minor
- May 25Committee amendments read and adopted. Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.
- May 21Reported with amendments.Minor
- May 4Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Judiciary B.Minor
- Apr 29Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 77, nays 17. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.Passed House
- Vote recorded FINAL PASSAGE (#818). Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 29Received in the Senate. Read first time by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.Minor
- Apr 27Read by title, amended, ordered engrossed, passed to 3rd reading.Minor
- Apr 27Scheduled for floor debate on 04/29/2026.
- Apr 23Reported with amendments (12-5-1).Minor
- Mar 9Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Judiciary.Minor
- Feb 27First appeared in the Interim Calendar on 2/27/2026.
- Feb 24Prefiled.Minor
- Feb 24Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Judiciary.Introduced
ImmigrationGovernment & Ethics