Committee backs measure to standardize nursing‑home early voting with trained commissioners

The House Governmental Affairs Committee reported House Bill 551 favorably after hearing from registrars and elections officials who said the measure would standardize and expand early voting access for nursing‑home residents.

Representative Billings said the bill allows registrars, subject to Secretary of State approval, to use trained early‑voting commissioners to assist nursing‑home residents, formalizing commissioner duties, oaths and oversight. Brian Champagne, Registrar of Voters for St. Charles Parish, described the operational needs larger parishes face during busy election cycles and supported the bill.

Sherry Wharton Hasky, a long‑time elections commissioner, said nursing‑home voting has expanded from 32 parishes to 50 and that trained commissioners can provide consistent, secure assistance for residents who need extra time or accommodations. She told the committee the program reduces registrar workload while preserving safeguards.

Members asked about training, scheduling, and fiscal responsibility; the secretary’s office confirmed the fiscal note’s additional cost is not the full program cost and that the Secretary of State would approve and coordinate the pool of commissioners. Representative Billings closed by calling HB 551 a low‑cost, high‑efficiency fix to help vulnerable voters, and the committee reported the bill favorably with no objection.

Next steps: HB 551 will be reported favorably and proceed to the next stage in the legislative process.