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BATON ROUGE, La. — Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin is proud to announce the passage of key pieces of legislation during the 2021 Regular Legislative Session. “I am very proud of the fact that Louisiana already has a reputation for election integrity, and we have taken greater steps to maintain that standard of excellence this legislative session. These new laws and bills that remain will further guarantee that our elections remain safe, fair, accurate and transparent. I am grateful for the hard work and dedication of so many legislators, and urge the Governor to sign these remaining, important pieces of legislation,” Ardoin stated.

Legislation that has already been signed into law:

ACT 12 (Gadberry) Requires specified members of the parish board of election supervisors to complete annual training relative to the preparation for and conduct of elections. This will ensure competence and expertise in the execution of elections.

ACT 13 (Stagni) Requires persons conducting exit polls within six hundred feet of a polling place to register with the secretary of state. This legislation will help ensure that polling locations remain nonpartisan.

ACT 16 (Cormier) Provides relative to required orientation and training of new registrars of voters. This will help guarantee uniformity in the operation of elections.

ACT 85 (Bernard) Provides relative to acts prohibited during early voting and on Election Day. This would help preserve the nonpartisan nature of polling places.

ACT 127 (Jenkins) Provides procedures, reports, and definitions relative to registration and voting by a

person with a felony conviction.

Legislation that is awaiting the Governor’s signature:

HB 138 (Farnum) Creates a supplemental canvass of registered voters. The additional canvass will help identify voters who have moved and need to update their addresses, thereby keeping voter rolls up to date for election integrity.

HB 167 (Johnson) Provides criteria for removing deceased persons from voter registration rolls. This legislation would require registrars of voters to cancel the registrations of deceased persons within 30 days of receipt of a death certificate. This is yet another way to keep voter rolls up to date.

HB 329 (Harris) Changes the age of a child who may accompany a parent or legal guardian into a voting machine. This will make it easier for parents to vote.

HB 330 (Harris) Increases the number of commissioners for the presidential preference primary election, matching the number of commissioners in gubernatorial and congressional elections.

HB 388 (Harris) Provides a longer period of time for a parish to prepare and verify absentee by mail and early voting ballots three days before Election Day.

HB 581 (Johnson) Makes certain revisions to the Louisiana Election Code.

SB 63 (Mills) Requires a hand-delivered absentee by mail ballot to be returned to an employee of the registrar at the registrar’s principal office, branch office, or early voting location during the period for early voting.

Additional legislation the Secretary of State collaborated on and provided testimony to forward election related issues:

HB 704 (Hodges) Provides certain changes relative to elections. This legislation would allow political parties to send poll watchers to precincts and would enhance election integrity.

SB 220 (Cloud) Provides relative to the legislative auditor examinations, audits, and reviews of elections and retention of election records. This would require election officials to keep records for at least two years after the date of an election.

SB 221 (Hewitt) Provides relative to voting systems. This legislation would enhance election integrity and voter system security.

SB 224 (Cloud) Provides for voter identification information and verification requirements for absentee by mail and early voting ballots. This would enhance election integrity and help to prevent voter fraud.

For more information about the Secretary of State’s Elections Division, visit www.GeauxVote.com or call 225.922.0900.