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SCR 89

LEGISLATION: Limits the number of resolutions or prefiled bills a member may file during any annual session.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Mark Abraham and 30 co-sponsors

Aims to cap how many prefiled bills and resolutions a member can file per session to improve legislative manageability, with certain exemptions.

Introduced in the Senate; read by title. Rules suspended. Read second time by title and adopted by a vote of 35 yeas and 1 nays. Ordered sent to the House.
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Bill Summary · SCR 89

Overview

Louisiana Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 89 (SCR 89) proposes amending and readopting Joint Rule No. 18 of the Joint Rules governing the Senate and House of Representatives. The core aim is to limit the number of resolutions and prefiled bills a member may file during any annual session, while preserving certain existing exceptions.

Purpose and intent

  • To establish quantitative caps on how many prefiled bills and resolutions a single member may introduce in a given annual session.
  • To maintain certain predefined bills and resolutions outside the counting framework, preserving their existing status as not counting toward overall limits.
  • The measure seeks to balance legislative activity with procedural manageability and accountability.

Key provisions and changes

A. General limits on prefiled bills

  • The proposed rule sets new caps on the number of prefiled bills introduced in either house:
    • Non-chair, non-vice-chair members: no more than 10 prefiled bills.
    • Vice chairmen of standing committees: no more than 12 prefiled bills.
    • Chairmen of standing committees: no more than 15 prefiled bills.
    • If a member holds both chairman and vice chairman roles, the chairman limit (15) applies.

B. Exemptions from the five-bill/prefiling limit

  • Several categories of bills continue to be exempt from the five-bill limit on introduced bills after prefiling (as per Article III, Section 2(A) of the Louisiana Constitution). The bill texts preserve these exemptions:
    • General appropriation bill.
    • Bill appropriating funds for the judicial branch.
    • Bill appropriating funds for the legislative branch.
    • Capital outlay bill.
    • Omnibus bond authorization bill.
    • Appropriation bills supplementing the General Appropriation Act.
    • Bill appropriating funds from the Revenue Sharing Fund (Article VII, Section 26).
    • Bill establishing and reestablishing agency ancillary funds.

C. Restrictions on resolutions

  • A member may not introduce more than 10 resolutions (simple or concurrent) that are not perfunctory.
  • Exemptions to the ten-resolution limit (i.e., resolutions not counted against the limit) include:
    • Resolution approving a minimum foundation program formula under Article VIII, Section 13 of the Louisiana Constitution.
    • Resolution providing a hospital stabilization formula under Article VII, Section 10.13.
    • Resolution providing for a master plan for integrated coastal protection or an annual plan for integrated coastal protection under R.S. 49:214.5.3.
    • Resolution providing for an annual basin plan under R.S. 49:214.8.6.

Who is affected

  • Members of the Louisiana Legislature, both in the Senate and House of Representatives, who file prefilled bills and resolutions during an annual session.
  • Committee leadership (chairs and vice chairs) who influence the applicable limits based on their role.
  • Legislative staff and procedural processes that manage and track bill/resolution introductions to enforce the new limits.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • The measure is a readoption and amendment of Joint Rule No. 18, meaning it would take effect as part of the Joint Rules governing sessions.
  • The text references ongoing constitutional and statutory exemptions, indicating continuity with existing practice for certain appropriation and special bills.
  • As a concurrent resolution, it would require passage by both the Senate and the House to become effective.

Implications and potential impact

  • Potentially reduces the number of prefiled bills and resolutions a member can file, especially for non-chair members, which could affect members who rely on multiple prefilings to advance priorities.
  • Preserves flexibility for high-priority or constitutionally/statutorily permitted bills and critical funding/appropriation measures through exemptions.
  • May influence legislative strategy, encouraging prioritization, collaboration, and the use of committee processes to advance proposals within the new caps.
  • Aims to streamline the introduction process and reduce procedural bottlenecks associated with large volumes of prefiled measures.

Sponsorship

  • Co-sponsors include a broad list of legislators, indicating cross-member support and bi-partisan interest in procedural reform.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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