The Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs on June 8 reported HCR 80 favorably, a resolution by Chairman Beaulieu that clarifies when a voter‑approved constitutional amendment’s 48‑hour layover for final votes on spending instruments begins.

HCR 80, Beaulieu said, responds to a constitutional amendment passed by Louisiana voters that requires 48 hours’ notice before chambers take final votes on spending measures: “HCR 80 is in response to the constitutional amendment that the people of Louisiana passed, last year requiring a 48 hour notice, before, we vote on, spending instruments, basically, so that we're not pressed at the last minute to have to make votes.”

The resolution specifies that the routine summaries provided for appropriations bills — including summaries of conference committee reports — will satisfy the information requirement that starts the 48‑hour window once a chamber has received them. Beaulieu told members the measure is intended to remove ambiguity about when the waiting period begins and to prevent last‑minute votes that extend the session.

Senator Amiguez asked whether the layover requirement is intended to allow public input and whether the summaries would be available beyond membership. “We have changed the way we do our appropriations process with a new constitutional amendment that requires the bill to lay over for, I believe, 48 hours to allow the public to weigh in before both chambers take it up on its last approval, correct?” Amiguez asked. Beaulieu replied that the summaries would be public and that receipt of the summary by the receiving chamber would trigger the 48‑hour clock: “If we have this summary of information that we've already worked on and it comes in at the same time, the summary's there. We're legally receiving it from the senate, our 48 hour window starts.”

During discussion Amiguez also urged the chamber to consider technological upgrades to make amendments and drafting changes more transparent and immediately visible to members and the public. Beaulieu said he has discussed upgrades with leadership and that plans for technical improvements are underway, though he acknowledged such changes would carry a cost.

Vice Chair Miguez moved that the committee report HCR 80 favorably. With no objections, the committee reported the resolution for further consideration. The committee did not record a roll‑call vote; the chair stated, “Seeing none, we'll report that bill.”

The resolution is paired with a parallel House measure that Beaulieu said is expected to mirror the Senate language; committee discussion focused on clarifying the procedural trigger for the existing constitutional layover rather than changing substantive appropriation policy.

The committee did not take additional formal actions tied to funding levels or implementation steps; staff direction beyond reporting the measure was not recorded in the transcript.