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Senate Approves Louisiana Energy Protection Act, House to Determine Fate
On Tuesday, in a 31-3 vote, the Senate approved HB 804 by Brett Geymann (R-Lake Charles), the Louisiana Energy Protection Act, sending the measure back to the House for concurrence on Senate amendments as the legislation approaches the endgame—the governor’s desk.
HB 804 is a step toward strengthening predictability in Louisiana’s legal environment for energy and industrial investment, while maintaining existing environmental safeguards and regulatory authority.
Across the country, there is a rising wave of out-of-state litigation—often driven by states like California and New York—seeking to assign liability for the alleged impacts of climate change. More than 30 such lawsuits are currently pending nationwide. The reach of these claims extends well beyond the energy sector, threatening farmers, ranchers, truckers and other key employers that sustain local communities and drive Louisiana’s economy.
During Senate consideration, lawmakers added an amendment carving out existing litigation from the bill’s scope. The change did not garner universal appeal but preserved the bill’s broader framework aimed at establishing clearer legal standards for energy production and related industrial activity going forward in Louisiana.
As the bill returns to the House, LABI is monitoring the measure closely as lawmakers evaluate whether to accept the Senate changes or pursue further adjustments. LABI has consistently emphasized the importance of advancing a version of the legislation that best reflects its original intent: to provide clearer forward-looking protections for energy development and reduce exposure to activist-driven litigation that threatens Louisianas energy dominance and drives up costs for consumers.