HLS 25RS-970 ORIGINAL
2025 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 648
BY REPRESENTATIVE BEAULLIEU
ELECTIONS/CANDIDATES: Increases candidate qualifying fees and dedicates the monies
to the Campaign Sign Recycling Fund
1 AN ACT
2To amend and reenact R.S. 18:1254(A) and 1280.22(A) and to enact R.S. 18:454 and
3 464(B)(5), relative to candidate qualifying fees for an election; to provide for the
4 imposition of a candidate qualifying fee; to provide for the dedication of certain
5 revenues from the collection of a candidate qualifying fee; to establish the Campaign
6 Sign Recycling Fund as a special fund in the state treasury; to provide for the
7 transfer, deposit, and use of monies in the Campaign Sign Recycling Fund; to
8 provide for the powers and duties of the state treasurer; to provide for the powers and
9 duties of the secretary of state; to provide for a prior Act of the Legislature of
10 Louisiana; to provide for effectiveness; and to provide for related matters.
11Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
12 Section 1. R.S. 18:1254(A) and 1280.22(A) are hereby amended and reenacted and
13R.S. 18:454 and 464(B)(5) are hereby enacted to read as follows:
14 §454. Campaign Sign Recycling Fund
15 A. There is hereby established in the state treasury, as a special fund, the
16 Campaign Sign Recycling Fund, hereinafter referred to in this Section as the "fund".
17 B.(1) After allocation of money to the Bond Security and Redemption Fund
18 as provided in Article VII, Section (9)(B) of the Constitution of Louisiana, the
19 treasurer shall deposit into the fund the following:
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HB NO. 648
1 (a) Monies collected from candidate qualifying fees for an election pursuant
2 to R.S. 18:464(B)(5).
3 (b) Monies designated for the fund and received by the state treasurer from
4 donations, gifts, grants, appropriations, or other revenue.
5 (2) Monies in the fund shall be invested in the same manner as monies in the
6 state general fund. Interest earned on investment of monies in the fund shall be
7 deposited into the state general fund. Unexpended and unencumbered monies in the
8 fund at the end of the fiscal year shall remain in the fund.
9 C.(1) Monies in the fund shall be appropriated to the secretary of state for
10 the recycling of political campaign signs.
11 (2) The secretary of state shall promulgate rules in accordance with the
12 Administrative Procedure Act necessary for implementation and administration of
13 the provisions of Paragraph (1) of this Subsection.
14 * * *
15 §464. Qualifying fees; additional fees imposed by political party committees;
16 financial statements
17 * * *
18 B. Amount of qualifying fees. The qualifying fees for candidates in primary
19 elections are:
20 * * *
21 (5) All candidates, in addition to the qualifying fees established pursuant to
22 Paragraphs (1) through (4) of this Subsection, shall pay an additional qualifying fee
23 of twenty-five dollars. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the
24 additional fee paid pursuant to the provisions of this Paragraph shall be deposited
25 into the Campaign Sign Recycling Fund as established in R.S. 18:459.
26 * * *
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HB NO. 648
1 §1254. Slates of candidates not affiliated with a recognized political party;
2 nominating petitions and qualifying by payment of qualifying fees
3 A. A slate of candidates for presidential elector who are not affiliated with
4 a recognized political party may be nominated by nominating petition or may qualify
5 by the payment of a qualifying fee of five hundred dollars. Such qualifying fee shall
6 be paid in accordance with the provisions of R.S. 18:464(A). The candidate shall also
7 pay a qualifying fee pursuant to R.S. 18:464(B)(5). The period for filing such
8 qualifying fee shall begin on the third Tuesday in July and shall end at 4:30 p.m. on
9 the first Friday following the third Tuesday in August of each year in which a
10 presidential election is to be held. Each qualifying fee shall be accompanied by the
11 notice of candidacy and notarized affidavit of each candidate for elector signifying
12 his acceptance of the nomination. A candidate for presidential elector who is not
13 affiliated with a recognized political party may be registered to vote with or without
14 a declaration of party affiliation.
15 * * *
16 §1280.22. Candidates; procedure for qualifying
17 A. Candidates for presidential nominee shall qualify in accordance with
18 procedures established by the party. Prior to qualification as a candidate of a
19 political party for presidential nominee, a person shall pay a qualifying fee of seven
20 hundred fifty dollars and any additional fee fees as authorized by R.S. 18:464(C)
21 R.S. 18:464(B)(5) and (C) or shall have obtained a nominating petition, bearing the
22 handwritten signatures of no less than one thousand registered voters affiliated with
23 the party from each of the congressional districts into which the state is divided. If
24 the candidate is qualifying by paying a fee, the fee shall be paid in cash, by certified
25 or cashier's check drawn on a state or national bank or credit union, by United States
26 postal money order, or by a money order issued by a state or national bank or credit
27 union.
28 * * *
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1 Section 2. R.S. 18:1254(A) and 1280.22(A) are hereby amended and reenacted to
2read as follows:
3 §1254. Slates of candidates not affiliated with a recognized political party;
4 nominating petitions and qualifying by payment of qualifying fees
5 A. A slate of candidates for presidential elector who are not affiliated with
6 a recognized political party may be nominated by nominating petition or may qualify
7 by the payment of a qualifying fee of one thousand dollars. Such qualifying fee shall
8 be paid in accordance with the provisions of R.S. 18:464(A). The candidate shall also
9 pay a qualifying fee pursuant to R.S. 18:464(B)(5). The period for filing such
10 qualifying fee shall begin on the third Tuesday in July and shall end at 4:30 p.m. on
11 the first Friday following the third Tuesday in August of each year in which a
12 presidential election is to be held. Each qualifying fee shall be accompanied by the
13 notice of candidacy and notarized affidavit of each candidate for elector signifying
14 his acceptance of the nomination. A candidate for presidential elector who is not
15 affiliated with a recognized political party may be registered to vote with or without
16 a declaration of party affiliation.
17 * * *
18 §1280.22. Candidates; procedure for qualifying
19 A. Candidates for presidential nominee shall qualify in accordance with
20 procedures established by the party. Prior to qualification as a candidate of a
21 political party for presidential nominee, a person shall pay a qualifying fee of one
22 thousand dollars and any additional fee fees as authorized by R.S. 18:464(C) R.S.
23 18:464(B)(5) and (C) or shall have obtained a nominating petition, bearing the
24 handwritten signatures of no less than one thousand registered voters affiliated with
25 the party from each of the congressional districts into which the state is divided. If
26 the candidate is qualifying by paying a fee, the fee shall be paid in cash, by certified
27 or cashier's check drawn on a state or national bank or credit union, by United States
28 postal money order, or by a money order issued by a state or national bank or credit
29 union.
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1 * * *
2 Section 3. R.S. 18:1254(A) and 1280.22(A) as amended and reenacted in Section
32 of this Act shall supercede R.S. 18:1254(A) and 1280.22(A) as amended and reenacted in
4Act No. 1 of the 2024 First Extraordinary Session of the Legislature.
5 Section 4.(A) This Section and Sections 1 and 3 of this Act shall become effective
6upon signature of this Act by the governor or, if not signed by the governor, upon expiration
7of the time for bills to become law without signature by the governor, as provided by Article
8III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If this Act is vetoed by the governor and
9subsequently approved by the legislature, this Section and Sections 1 and 3 of this Act shall
10become effective on the day following such approval.
11 (B) The provisions of Section 2 of this Act shall become effective when Act 1 of the
122024 First Extraordinary Session of the Legislature becomes effective.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 648 Original 2025 Regular Session Beaullieu
Abstract: Imposes an additional candidate $25 qualifying fee for an election and provides
for the deposit of the additional fee into the Campaign Sign Recycling Fund
Proposed law establishes the Campaign Sign Recycling Fund as a special fund in the state
treasury. Directs the state treasurer to invest the monies in the same manner as the state
general fund. Interest earned on investment of monies shall be deposited into the state
general fund. Unexpended and unencumbered monies in the fund at the end of the fiscal year
shall remain in the fund.
Proposed law imposes an additional $25 fee for each candidate qualifying for an election in
the state. Monies collected from the additional fee shall be deposited into the Campaign
Sign Recycling Fund. Monies in the fund shall be appropriated to the secretary of state for
the recycling of political campaign signs.
Proposed law authorizes the secretary of state to promulgate rules necessary for the
implementation of a program to recycle political campaign signs.
Effective upon signature of the governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action; effective
in part Jan. 1, 2026 (Note: See Act No. 1 of the 24 1
st
E.S.).
(Amends R.S. 18:1254(A) and 1280.22(A); Adds R.S. 18:454 and 464(B)(5)).
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