The Louisiana State Legislature referred a constitutional amendment related to the expropriation of property by foreign adversaries to the Nov. 3, 2026, statewide general election ballot. Legislators passed the amendment on May 21, 2026.
In Louisiana, a two-thirds (66.67%) vote is required during a single session to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 70 votes in the Louisiana House of Representatives and 26 votes in the Louisiana State Senate, assuming there are no vacancies.
House Bill 192
Introduced as House Bill 192 (HB 192) on Feb. 18, 2026, the constitutional amendment would prohibit the expropriation of property by foreign adversaries or agents of a foreign adversary — both of which are defined by law.
As of 2026, Article I, Section 4 of the Louisiana state constitution prohibits property from being taken or damaged by private entities, except for a public and necessary purpose, in addition to the property owner being compensated.
Additionally, Louisiana state law defines foreign adversary as "a foreign nongovernment person or foreign government identified as a foreign adversary pursuant to 15 CFR 7.4 including the People's Republic of China and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Republic of Cuba, Islamic Republic of Iran, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, and Venezuela under the leadership of Nicolas Maduro."
The bill was first approved by the state House on April 21, 2026, by a vote of 100-0. On May 21, 2026, the state Senate voted 36-0 to approve the amendment.
Speaking in support of HB 192, state Rep. Charles Owen (R-30), who authored the amendment, said it would "allow citizens, if they want to cordon off their property [to prevent] any possibility of a foreign adversary ever expropriating it."
Voters in Louisiana will decide on six other ballot measures on Nov. 3, 2026, regarding homestead tax exemptions for the surviving spouses of deceased veterans, property tax rate limits, income limits to qualify for property tax special assessments, property tax exemptions for seniors, tax exemptions for rehabilitated properties, and post-conviction bail for individuals convicted of assault against minors.
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