A Louisiana Senate committee on Wednesday rejected a proposal that would have created a state-level voting rights law, halting efforts to expand protections for minority voters during the current legislative session.
The Senate and Governmental Affairs Committee voted 4-3 against advancing Senate Bill 365, authored by Sen. Royce Duplessis, D-New Orleans. The measure, known as the Louisiana Voting Rights Act, sought to bar state and local election practices that could suppress minority voting and allow challenges to be filed in state court.
Supporters said the bill was designed to strengthen voter protections amid ongoing legal disputes over redistricting and ballot access, while opponents argued existing federal laws already address such concerns.
The committee vote leaves the bill stalled unless lawmakers choose to reconsider it later in the 2026 regular session.
