2025 Louisiana Legislative Session Wrap-Up

The Regular 2025 Louisiana Legislative Session (April 14 – June 12) showcased once again the state’s obsession with punishment over people. The budget ballooned for carceral expansion, while support systems for our youth, elders, and communities remain underfunded or attacked outright. But amid it all, VOTE’s Policy team and partners showed up:

We testified.   We called out hypocrisy.   We helped defeat harmful bills.  We pushed forward the truth.

Most of laws passed from the last session went into effect on August 1st. Here’s a breakdown of what went down and what it means for our communities:

The state passed HB 1/ Act 1, Louisiana’s operating expenses budget bill for Fiscal Year 2025-2026. This year’s budget was more than a financial document – it was a statement of right-wing values. What this new budget says, loudly and clearly, is that Louisiana still sees incarceration as a tool for big business to make and a means to control and marginalize Louisiana citizens. And with it came millions more for the carceral system:

• $444M for State Police (-$25M) ↓ (after mushrooming last year)
• $39M local police supplemental pay
• $197M Office of Juvenile Justice
• $129M for Department