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Read. Follow. Verify.Louisiana House Bill 773 Establishes Purchasing Preferences for Prison Enterprises, Blind, Disabled, and Veteran Nonprofits
Last action · April 13, 2026: Read by title, returned to the calendar.Sponsor: Michael Melerine
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What This Bill Proposed
Beginning January 1, 2027, Louisiana state agencies and participating local governments must prioritize noncompetitive purchases of goods and services from prison enterprises, nonprofits for the blind, nonprofits for individuals with disabilities, and veterans' nonprofits. The legislation establishes a strict procurement hierarchy, price caps tied to cooperative contracts or fair market value, and requires the state chief procurement officer to maintain an official list of available preferred-source goods and services by December 31, 2026.
State and local public agencies face new statutory mandates and purchasing restrictions that redirect public contracts toward specific preferred vendors such as prison industries and designated disability or veterans' nonprofits starting in 2027.
- Louisiana's public procurement system is governed by the Louisiana Procurement Code and the Public Bid Law, which establish standard rules for state and local government purchasing. context
- Prison enterprises in Louisiana are operated through the Department of Public Safety and Corrections to provide work and training programs for incarcerated individuals. context
Who It Would Have Affected
Groups the bill's text would have affected, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
State agencies and participating local governments
State and local public agencies must alter their purchasing practices to prioritize specific preferred vendors and adhere to a strict supply and service hierarchy.
Prison enterprises
Prison enterprises receive top priority for supplying goods and services to state agencies under the new procurement framework.
Nonprofits for the blind, disabled, and veterans
Qualified nonprofits representing blind individuals, other severely disabled persons, and veterans are designated as preferred sources eligible for noncompetitive public contracts.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which vendors get first priority when a state agency buys supplies?
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
This bill did not become law - Died at adjournment · passed the House.
Procedural history
8 actions- Apr 13, 2026HouseIntroducedRead by title, returned to the calendar.
- Apr 9, 2026HouseScheduled for floor debate on 04/13/2026.
- Apr 8, 2026HouseFloorRead by title, ordered engrossed, passed to 3rd reading.
- Apr 7, 2026HouseCommitteeReported favorably (19-0).
- Mar 9, 2026HouseIntroducedRead by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Appropriations.
- Feb 27, 2026HousePrefiled.
Show 2 earlier actions
- Feb 27, 2026HouseCommitteeUnder the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Appropriations.
- 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.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Consolidation of Preferred Provider Frameworks
The legislation repeals previous distinct statutes governing the State Use Council and disability preferences, replacing them with a unified preference framework that encompasses prison enterprises, blind/disabled nonprofits, and veterans' organizations.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.legis.la.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance20Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 75)
- Controversy40Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz20Current news / social attention level
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