The 2026 Regular Legislative Session convened on March 9 and adjourned on June 1, closing out a busy non-fiscal session that touched nearly every major policy area shaping Louisiana’s industrial economy, including carbon capture, legal reform, workforce development and tax policy.
As the statewide trade association representing Louisiana’s chemical manufacturing sector and its industrial contractor community, the Louisiana Chemistry Association (LCA) and the Louisiana Chemistry Industrial Alliance (LCIA) entered the session with a broad agenda and a long list of issues to watch. By the time the final gavel fell, this session had reinforced the key point that long-term industrial investment depends on a stable, competitive and predictable policy environment.
Carbon capture was one of the most visible topics of the session, as expected. Louisiana is quickly becoming a national leader in this space, and news surrounding over $70 billion in announced CCS-dependent projects brought renewed legislative attention.
Roughly 40 carbon-related bills were filed. The bills that would have most significantly restricted development, added burdensome local-option requirements or undermined the existing framework failed to pass. The conversation will continue in future sessions and in communities across the state, but 2026 preserved a workable foundation for continued investment in the future of Louisiana’s energy economy.
Outside of maintaining the CCS framework, one of the biggest victories for our industry, and the state of Louisiana, was the passage of the Louisiana Energy Protection Act, a measure aimed at providing more stability and predictability to Louisiana’s litigious legal environment, specifically regarding suits based on climate change. The bill preserves traditional claims for personal injury, property damage and similar harms, while seeking to keep broad climate litigation from being used to set energy and environmental policy through the courts rather than the legislative process. Louisiana’s litigation climate has long been a concern for companies deciding whether to invest, expand or build in the state. Legal predictability does not eliminate accountability, but it does help ensure that companies can make long-term decisions under clear and consistent rules.
Workforce development was another bright spot. Louisiana’s chemical manufacturers and industrial contractors depend on highly trained operators, craft professionals, technicians and engineers, jobs that offer strong wages and long-term career pathways, often without a traditional four-year degree.
One of the most important bills this session addressed the shortage of qualified instructors at the state’s community and technical colleges, a practical but serious constraint on Louisiana’s ability to train the next generation of industrial workers. Others focused on short-term, credential-based training tied to employer needs. These bills reflect a growing recognition that workforce development is central to Louisiana’s ability to compete for industrial investment.
Although 2026 was a non-fiscal session, we were able to address at least one key local tax issue. Lawmakers passed legislation addressing a long-standing issue that can pressure property tax rates upward during reassessment cycles even when local governments do not require additional revenue.
These bills do away with Louisiana’s existing "use it or lose it" system for assessing millages, and because they require changes to constitutional language, they will be heading to a vote of the people. The key point here is that these bills passed unanimously through both houses because this kind of reform is absolutely necessary. This will not increase taxes. What it does do is allow local assessors greater flexibility to reduce their millages if they don’t need additional revenue to fund their budget.
Overall, the 2026 session resulted in some excellent progress, especially for workforce development and legal reform. LCA and LCIA will continue working with lawmakers, regulators, local leaders and industry partners to keep Louisiana among the best places in the country to build, operate and grow.
For more information, visit lca.org.
