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Read. Follow. Verify.Louisiana requires commercial menhaden fishing vessels to use automatic identification systems
Last action · May 29, 2026: Effective date: 04/19/2027.Sponsor: Jerome Zeringue
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What This Bill Does
Louisiana requires all commercial vessels and active purse boats to install and use an starting April 19, 2027. Vessels cannot operate without a functioning AIS for more than two consecutive business days, and cooperating vessel groups must keep at least two systems operating at all times.
Commercial menhaden fishers and carrier vessel operators must equip their fleets with VHF-based tracking technology and maintain continuous operation rules, altering onboard compliance requirements for the state's reduction fishery sector.
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Commercial menhaden reduction fishery vessel operators
Vessel owners and operators must install, maintain, and utilize automatic identification systems on mother ships and purse boats according to operational downtime limits.
Key Facts
- All commercial menhaden reduction fishery vessels, including carrier vessels or steamers and purse boats, must install and utilize an automatic identification system (AIS).
- An automatic identification system is defined as a VHF radio-based tracking system for exchanging position, speed, and heading data.
- A required vessel cannot fish without a functioning AIS for more than two consecutive business days.
- For cooperating groups of vessels, the AIS of at least two vessels must remain functioning at all times while actively engaged in fishing.
Show all 6 facts
- The Louisiana State Law Institute is directed to alphabetize and renumber definitions in R.S. 56:8 and correct cross-references.
- The Act becomes effective on April 19, 2027.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which vessels are required to use an automatic identification system?
How long can a vessel operate without a functioning AIS?
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News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Current status: Signed into law.
Procedural history
22 actions- May 29, 2026HouseEnrolledSigned by the Governor. Becomes Act No. 443.
- May 29, 2026HouseEffective date: 04/19/2027.
- May 25, 2026HouseEnrolledEnrolled and signed by the Speaker of the House.
- May 22, 2026HouseSent to the Governor for executive approval.
- May 21, 2026SenateEnrolledSigned by the President of the Senate.
- May 20, 2026HouseIntroducedRead by title, roll called, yeas 94, nays 0, Senate amendments concurred in.
Show 16 earlier actions
- May 19, 2026HouseScheduled for concurrence on 05/20/2026.
- May 13, 2026SenateFloorRules suspended. The amended bill was read by title, passed by a vote of 37 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.
- May 13, 2026HouseReceived from the Senate with amendments.
- May 5, 2026SenateFloorReported without Legislative Bureau amendments. Read by title and passed to third reading and final passage.
- May 4, 2026SenateFloorCommittee amendments read and adopted. Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.
- Apr 29, 2026SenateReported with amendments.
- Apr 15, 2026SenateCommitteeRead second time by title and referred to the Committee on Natural Resources.
- Apr 14, 2026HouseFloorRead third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 98, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.
- Apr 14, 2026SenateReceived in the Senate. Rules suspended. Read first time by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.
- Apr 13, 2026HouseScheduled for floor debate on 04/14/2026.
- Apr 9, 2026HouseFloorRead by title, amended, ordered engrossed, passed to 3rd reading.
- Apr 8, 2026HouseReported with amendments (11-0).
- Mar 9, 2026HouseIntroducedRead by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Natural Resources and Environment.
- Feb 27, 2026HousePrefiled.
- Feb 27, 2026HouseCommitteeUnder the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Natural Resources and Environment.
- Feb 27, 2026HouseFirst appeared in the Interim Calendar on 2/27/2026.
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
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Sources
www.legis.la.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance45How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy20Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz15Current news / social attention level
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