Commission approves 2026'27 Legislative Youth Advisory Council roster and budget

The Louisiana Commission on Civic Education unanimously approved the 2026'27 Legislative Youth Advisory Council membership slate and adopted the council's budget and updated mileage reimbursement guidelines on a single vote.

Judge Wendell Manning, chair of the commission, asked for a motion to approve the new LYAC members after Megan Bella, the council's coordinator, said the review committee had vetted more than 300 applicants and presented a slate that spans the state. "So congratulations to the new members," Manning said after the commission voted.

Bella told the commission the LYAC had received "over 300 people apply this year," and listed members by congressional district and at'large seats. Members also considered two administrative items: the LYAC budget, which Bella said is unchanged from prior years, and a mileage reimbursement guideline updated to reflect a higher IRS rate.

Judge Jason DeGate moved to approve the membership slate; Representative Freiburg seconded. Representative Freiburg later moved to approve the budget and the mileage form, and Barry Erwin seconded both motions. Chair Manning called for aye votes and declared both motions approved without objection.

The approvals were procedural and administrative: the membership slate will allow the LYAC to begin work with the new cohort, and the budget and mileage changes maintain the program's existing funding and reimburse travel at the current IRS rate, Bella said. No roll-call vote was read into the record; the chair characterized each motion as "unanimously approved."

Next steps: the new LYAC members will be onboarded and attend summer orientation sessions; Bella indicated orientation is scheduled for July.