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Panel advances bill to let courts recover costs for knowingly false candidacy notices
Summary
House Bill 351 would allow courts to assess costs and attorneys’ fees against candidates who knowingly submit false information on notice-of-candidacy forms; the committee approved the measure after a staff rewording and testimony that the change is needed to deter bad actors.
House Bill 351, carried by Speaker Pro Tem Mike Johnson, would permit courts hearing objections to candidacy to require payment of court costs and attorney fees when a candidate “knowingly” attests to false information on a notice-of-candidacy form. The statutory language was reworded in committee to match existing penalty structures and to avoid unintended consequences; the committee adopted the technical amendment (11-21).
Secretary of State Nancy Landry and staff said the office is strictly ministerial in qualifying candidates and that courts currently decide whether a candidate is qualified. Landry and Grant Miller (the office’s election-integrity official) said the state has seen instances of candidates filing false information and that there is insufficient tool to deter or recoup litigation costs in those cases. The bill aims to discourage bad actors who intentionally misuse qualification processes and to protect municipalities and challengers from paying litigant costs when a candidate has acted in bad faith.
Representative Newell, who has personal experience with objections, supported the bill and moved favorable passage. The committee adopted the measure and reported it favorably by voice vote as amended.
