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Bill

Bill

SR 145

STATE DEPARTMENT: Recreates the Task Force on Protecting Louisiana's Critical Infrastructure from Foreign Adversaries.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Valarie Hodges

Louisiana revives a state task force within the Department to assess and strengthen protection of critical infrastructure from foreign-adversary threats and report recommendations.

Enrolled. Signed by the President of the Senate and sent to the Secretary of State by the Secretary of the Senate.
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Bill Summary · SR 145

Overview

Senate Resolution (SR) 145 of the 2026 session in Louisiana creates a study initiative related to protecting the state's critical infrastructure from foreign adversaries by reestablishing the Task Force on Protecting Louisiana's Critical Infrastructure from Foreign Adversaries within the state Department.

Purpose and intent

  • Recreate and authorize a task force within the State Department aimed at safeguarding Louisiana’s critical infrastructure from foreign-adversary threats.
  • Likely seeks to coordinate interagency efforts, assess vulnerabilities, and develop recommendations or actions to enhance resilience against foreign influence or interference targeting essential systems.

Key provisions and changes

  • Establishment: Reinstates or reconstitutes the Task Force on Protecting Louisiana's Critical Infrastructure from Foreign Adversaries under the Louisiana State Department.
  • Scope of work: The task force is expected to examine critical infrastructure sectors (e.g., energy, telecommunications, transportation, water, financial systems) for vulnerabilities to foreign threats and influence.
  • Leadership and membership: The resolution designates or confirms the composition of the task force, including potential involvement of department agencies, stakeholders, and subject-matter experts. A co-sponsor is listed (Valarie Hodges), indicating legislative support and potential bipartisan engagement.
  • Duties and deliverables: Likely requires periodic reporting, recommendations, or strategic guidance to the Legislature and executive agencies on protective measures, resilience planning, and incident response coordination.
  • Funding and resources: As a Senate Resolution, it may outline or authorize the use of state resources for the task force’s activities, including staffing, meeting procedures, and access to information, consistent with Louisiana's norms for such resolutions.
  • Duration and timeline: The resolution is introduced in May 2026 and placed on the calendar for a second reading, outlining the legislative timeline and potential duration of the task force’s activities (often aligned with the legislative session or a specified period).

Who and what is affected

  • State Department: Primary entity tasked with recreating and overseeing the initiative.
  • Other state agencies: Potential collaboration with agencies responsible for critical infrastructure sectors.
  • Stakeholders: Industry, utility operators, local governments, and other entities involved in critical infrastructure security and resilience.
  • Louisiana residents: Indirectly affected through improved protection of essential services and infrastructure from foreign-adversary threats.

Procedural and timeline notes

  • Action history indicates: Introduced in the Senate on 2026-05-21, read by title, and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.
  • Status: As of the provided information, the bill is in the early stage of the legislative process; no final passage details are included.
  • Next steps: Likely advancement to a second reading, potential amendments, votes in the Senate, and subsequent consideration by the House, depending on the bill’s progression.

Potential impact and considerations

  • Strategic impact: Signals a formal prioritization of safeguarding critical infrastructure against foreign threats within Louisiana’s policy framework.
  • Operational impact: May establish structured coordination, gap analysis, and policy recommendations that could inform agency practices and investment decisions.
  • Privacy and civil-liberties considerations: Depending on the task force’s scope, scrutiny of data handling and interagency information-sharing policies may arise.
  • Budgetary implications: If resources are authorized, related costs for staffing, meetings, and reporting could affect state budgeting.

Notes: The summary reflects the information provided. For a fuller understanding, access to the bill’s full text would clarify specific sectors, duties, reporting requirements, funding provisions, and the precise authority granted to the task force.

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

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