Louisiana
Questions remain about new election laws that take effect this week • Louisiana Illuminator
A slate of new Louisiana election laws set to take effect Thursday could disenfranchise voters and be used to levy unfounded allegations of fraud, voter advocacy groups say.
Earlier this year the state’s GOP-dominated Legislature passed several laws at the behest of new Louisiana Secretary of State Nancy Landry, who is also a Republican. Bill authorities invoked the Republican catch phrase “strengthening election integrity,” though authorities have never found evidence of widespread voter fraud in Louisiana or elsewhere in the United States.
The laws have opened the door for state officials to enact stricter guidelines for third-party groups to hold voter registration drives and stricter requirements for voters to prove citizenship. They also could make it easier for authorities to criminalize certain acts as voter fraud. But there are also some unknowns about the new laws that have advocates anxious with only about three months left before the November elections.
This November, Louisiana voters will get to decide on the presidential election, six congressional seats, a state Supreme Court judgeship, and a constitutional amendment related to the use of energy revenues.
Among the new election laws taking effect is House Bill 506, sponsored by Rep. Polly Thomas, R-Metairie. It will require any non-governmental groups to first sign up with the Louisiana Secretary of State before holding any voter registration drives.
Former mayor of New Orleans and current Urban League President Marc Morial said he thinks most of Landry’s legislative agenda will only make it harder to vote or decrease voter turnout.
“I think you should have penalties for people who commit fraud … [but] it shouldn’t be hard to register people to vote,” Morial said in a phone interview. “ … It sounds like some kind of Soviet-era control.”
While many voter advocacy groups have criticized Thomas’ bill as a voter suppression tactic, Landry cited an incident of lost registration forms as the impetus for the legislation while testifying at a March 21 House and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing.
During last year’s election, an organization failed to turn in several dozen voter registration forms that high school students had filled out. The students later showed up to vote and were told they had never been registered. Landry’s office investigated the issue and learned what happened. A volunteer from the group that held the registration drive had left the forms in the trunk of someone’s car and forgot to turn them in, she said.
Landry said Thomas’ bill will allow election officials to keep track of voter registration drives and contact volunteers to make sure they fill out forms correctly and turn them in.
However, several unanswered questions remain about what all will be required of the groups: What information will be required from them? Will they be required to sign up with the Secretary of State in person? How long will their registration be valid? Does every member of a group need to register?
“That’s actually the biggest problem,” Peter Robins-Brown, executive director of Louisiana Progress, said. “It’s that a lot of those laws were very vague … They should have had those answers laid out before they introduced the bill.”
Landry’s spokesman Joel Watson said the office will be releasing guidance that should answer many of those questions before the law takes effect Thursday.
Louisiana legislation targets mail-in absentee voting as it gains in popularity
“This law is not about individuals or groups receiving clearance from our office or the [registrars of voters] but registering their drive so that they can be contacted when needed,” Watson said.
The Urban League held its national conference in New Orleans last week and included courses on voter registration training. The organization publishes state-specific guides on voter registration laws and could have to make changes to Louisiana’s guide after Thursday.
Robins-Brown said he is also concerned about what the penalties might be for those who violate the law by failing to register. He said he is most concerned for small neighborhood associations and individuals involved in loosely organized civic engagement activities that include helping their neighbors get registered to vote.
“You just can’t expect the average person to know all of these rules or at least know them in detail,” Robins-Brown said. “At what point does my attempt to register my neighbors go from an act of civic engagement to a violation or a crime of voter fraud?”
Thomas’ bill did not establish criminal penalties, though lawmakers passed a separate measure that does criminalize other acts.
Senate Bill 420, sponsored by Sen. Valarie Hodges, R-Denham Springs, expands the state crime of election fraud with several new provisions to encompass a wider variety of acts. The crime carries a penalty of up to two years in prison.
Most of the new provisions align with typical voter fraud crimes such as forging a ballot or attempting to vote more than once. Others, however, are more vague, including a provision that apparently makes it a crime to forge, alter, take or destroy “election supplies.”
Another provision makes it a crime to possess an official ballot in violation of any provision of the Louisiana Election Code.
House Bill 476, sponsored by Rep. Josh Carlson, R-Lafayette, prohibits a person from mailing more than one absentee ballot for a voter who isn’t an immediate family member. Similarly, Senate Bill 218, sponsored by Sen. Caleb Kleinpeter, R-Port Allen, prohibits the same act with regard to mailing the application form for an absentee ballot for more than one voter who isn’t an immediate family member. It also makes it a crime to give an absentee ballot application form to two or more people who are not immediate family members.
Landry, while testifying in support of Kleinpeter’s bill in March, said allowing unknown individuals to collect unlimited numbers of ballot applications would give them access to the voter’s name and address and therefore allow them to “harass and intimidate voters” into voting a certain way.
The secretary of state’s office has cited three incidents as evidence of election fraud, though none revealed evidence of widespread wrongdoing among voters. Two of the incidents involved a vote-buying scheme by politicians from the same small town — Amite City.
The third occurred in a 2018 local election in Acadia Parish, where a woman assisting two elderly voters allegedly failed to mark their absentee ballots as directed. The Crowley woman was convicted on a single misdemeanor charge and received two years probation. Authorities never disclosed how she marked the ballots.
None of the incidents affected the outcome of the respective elections.
The future North Lafayette library will expand learning opportunities while honoring the lifelong impact of the Louisiana education and civil rights leader.
Watch Lafayette Parish Schools break ground on Paul Breaux K-8 School
Groundbreaking for $50M Paul Breaux K-8 in North Lafayette — with 1,300 students, 66 classrooms and an 18-month timeline.
Lafayette Consolidated Government (LCG) has officially designated the Northeast Regional Library as the Norman C. Francis Library, recognizing the lifelong legacy of one of Louisiana’s most influential educators and civil rights leaders.
The Lafayette Parish Council approved the naming, cementing a tribute to the late Francis, whose decades of leadership in higher education and public service helped shape opportunities for generations of Louisianans.
The new library will serve as the cornerstone of North Lafayette’s ongoing revitalization efforts through the Holy Rosary Redevelopment initiative while expanding access to educational resources, technology and community programming.
“By bringing a new chapter of opportunity for residents on the Northside of Lafayette, this library stands as a fitting tribute to one of the most influential educators and civic leaders in Louisiana’s history,” Lafayette Mayor-President Monique B. Boulet said.
Boulet added that Francis dedicated his life to expanding access to education and creating opportunities for others.
“It is only fitting that this library, a place of learning, discovery, and community, bears his name for generations to come,” Boulet said.
Norman C. Francis’ legacy honored in Lafayette
Born in Lafayette in 1931, Francis dedicated his life to expanding educational access and advancing social justice.
In 1952, he became the first African American to enroll at Loyola University New Orleans College of Law. After earning his law degree, he joined Xavier University of Louisiana in 1957 before serving as the university’s president from 1968 through 2015, making him one of the longest-serving university presidents in the United States.
His influence extended far beyond higher education. Francis advised eight U.S. presidents, led the Louisiana Recovery Authority following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George W. Bush in 2006.
Francis died in February 2026 at the age of 94, but community leaders say his impact continues to inspire future generations.
Northeast Regional Library’s Upgrades
Conceptual design plans for the new Northeast Regional Library were presented to the Lafayette Public Library System Board on June 29.
The planned facility will encompass 20,533 square feet on a 6.5-acre site and include:
- Space for 44,000–53,000 library materials.
- 37 public computer stations.
- Children’s and teen areas.
- STE(A)M learning and maker spaces.
- Study rooms and quiet reading areas.
- Walking paths and music garden.
- Interactive displays.
- 119 parking spaces, including six ADA-accessible.
Community leaders celebrate library naming
State Sen. Gerald Boudreaux said the designation reflects years of work by local leaders and residents to bring the long-planned Northside library to fruition.
“I would like to thank the Boulet Administration, the Lafayette City and Parish Councils, and most importantly the many community members and organizations that remained committed for years to making this vision a reality,” Gerald Boudreaux said. “Dustin Cravins and the Holy Rosary Redevelopment Committee have developed a master plan that will positively transform this historic property while honoring the remarkable legacy of Dr. Norman C. Francis.”
City Council Chair Kenneth Boudreaux said the project represents a decades-long investment in North Lafayette.
“Seeing this library become a reality is deeply personal. I was honored to help secure the initial funding for this project years ago because I believed the north side of Lafayette deserved a first-class library that would serve generations to come,” Kenneth Boudreaux said. “To now see it bear the name of Dr. Norman C. Francis, a man whose life was defined by education, opportunity, and service, is a powerful reminder of what can happen when a community refuses to stop believing in its future.”
Parish Councilman Abraham “AB” Rubin Jr. called the naming a symbol of perseverance.
“There were times when this project faced real uncertainty, but our community never gave up because we knew this library was worth fighting for,” Rubin, Jr said. “Dr. Norman C. Francis spent his life opening doors for others and believing in possibilities that many thought were out of reach. Naming this library in his honor reflects that same spirit of perseverance and hope to future generations.”
City Councilman Elroy Broussard said the library will become an educational anchor for North Lafayette.
“As a former member of the Lafayette Parish School Board, I know that libraries are not just brick and mortar, but are gateways to learning and opportunity,” Broussard said. “This library will touch countless lives across the northern parts of Lafayette, and there is no more fitting namesake than Dr. Norman C. Francis, whose extraordinary legacy will remind every young person who will walk through its doors that education has the power to transform lives.”
For additional information about the Northeast Regional Library project and design plans, visit the Lafayette Public Library’s Northeast Regional Library information page.
Aaron Gonsoulin is the General Assignment/Trending Reporter for The Daily Advertiser. Contact him at AGonsoulin@theadvertiser.com.
ST. MARTIN PARISH — As the Mega Millions jackpot climbs to an estimated $604 million, excitement is growing in St. Martinville, where a quick stop at a convenience store has many imagining what they would do if they won.
The jackpot, the largest Mega Millions prize offered so far this year, drew plenty of attention at Simmis Mart. Some customers were ready to buy tickets, while others simply enjoyed thinking about the possibilities.
Charlotte Wilson said she has noticed that major lottery jackpots often seem to be won outside Louisiana, but that has not stopped her from hoping.
“When they do hit it’s always out of state. It’s never in Louisiana in a little small town, but if you do hit and I win!” Wilson said.
The excitement extended beyond customers. Store employee Vicky Williams admitted she would not mind seeing some of the jackpot come her way.
“I need to get some of that. I could use some of that money,” Williams said.
Among those purchasing a ticket was Shakina Hart, who said playing the lottery is something she has done before, “I’ve played it in the past, but never won the Mega Millions, so yes, I’m hoping I’m winning on this,” Hart said.
For Wilson, hitting the jackpot would be about more than the money. She already knows exactly how she’d put it to use.
“First of all, I’ll buy me a house and a nice car, and I’ll take care of the homeless people because they have a lot of those that need somewhere to live who are hungry and homeless,” Wilson said.
Hart said her priorities would center on her family, especially her children’s education.
“I have one that wants to be a lawyer and one that wants to be a doctor, so the money would definitely help with their school funding and basic care needs,” Hart said.
The next Mega Millions drawing is scheduled for Friday July 10th. While the odds of winning remain long, the growing jackpot has many people holding onto the same thought: What if their numbers are the ones called?
Louisiana
Leadership Louisiana Health Fellows Welcomes Inaugural Class – Leaders for a Better Louisiana
Nearly 40 years after launching Louisiana’s premier statewide leadership development program, Leaders for a Better Louisiana is proud to announce the inaugural class of Leadership Louisiana Health Fellows, marking an important new chapter in the organization’s longstanding commitment to developing informed, connected leaders equipped to address the state’s most pressing challenges.
Building on the proven model and legacy of Leadership Louisiana, the Health Fellows program brings together leaders from across healthcare, business, public policy, higher education, philanthropy, and community organizations to gain a deeper understanding of the systems, opportunities, and challenges shaping health outcomes across Louisiana. Throughout the year, fellows will participate in immersive sessions across the state, engaging directly with healthcare providers, researchers, policymakers, workforce leaders, and innovators while exploring the issues that influence the health and well-being of Louisiana’s people and communities.
“The strength of Leadership Louisiana has always been its ability to bring together accomplished leaders from different sectors and regions to learn from one another while developing a broader understanding of our state,” said Sheree Blanchard, Director of Leadership Louisiana. “The Health Fellows program extends that tradition by focusing on one of Louisiana’s most significant opportunities for improvement. We are excited to welcome this outstanding inaugural class.”
The inaugural class represents a broad cross-section of Louisiana’s healthcare and civic leadership, with participants serving in hospitals, health systems, higher education, business, nonprofit organizations, public agencies, and community-based organizations throughout the state. Together, they bring diverse expertise and perspectives that will strengthen dialogue and collaboration around Louisiana’s health challenges and opportunities.
“From the beginning, our vision was to create a program that mirrors the excellence and impact of Leadership Louisiana while taking a comprehensive look at the many factors that influence health outcomes,” said Blanchard. “This first class reflects the caliber of leadership we hoped to attract, and we look forward to watching these fellows build lasting relationships and develop new ideas that will benefit communities across Louisiana.”
Leadership Louisiana has graduated more than 1,600 leaders over nearly four decades, creating one of the state’s strongest cross-sector leadership networks. Leadership Louisiana Health Fellows builds on that foundation by providing participants with a focused exploration of Louisiana’s healthcare landscape while reinforcing the program’s longstanding commitment to collaboration, informed leadership, and service to the state.
The 2027 Health Fellows class will begin its yearlong experience this summer with sessions held in multiple regions of Louisiana.
View the complete roster of the Leadership Louisiana Health Fellows inaugural class.
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