A Louisiana House committee has advanced a controversial bill that would require the Office of Motor Vehicles (OMV) to mark the driver’s licenses and identification cards of lawfully present immigrants with a restriction code, and issue them voting warning notices, despite concerns from advocates and a lone dissenting lawmaker.
House Bill 554, authored by Rep. Dixon McMakin (R), was reported favorably by the House Transportation, Highways and Public Works Committee on April 28 in a 9-1 vote. The only vote against the measure came from Rep. Tammy Phelps (D-Shreveport). All other committee members present, including Baton Rouge-area Reps. Kellee Hennessy Dickerson and Tehmi Chassion, voted in favor of the bill.
The legislation would require the OMV to imprint a restriction code on the licenses and IDs of non-citizens who are legally residing in the United States but have not attained citizenship. It also mandates that the OMV send these individuals a written “Notice of Voting Restrictions,” warning that attempting to register or vote constitutes a felony under Louisiana law, punishable by up to two years in prison and a $2,000 fine. The notice must be translated into at least six languages, including Spanish, Mandarin, and Tagalog.
Bill Draws Criticism from Immigrant Advocates
The bill has drawn strong criticism from immigrant advocacy groups who say the measure is not only unnecessary but could foster distrust and stigmatization of immigrant communities.
“There remains significant confusion among lawmakers about basic immigration categories—lawful presence versus citizenship—and this bill preys on that confusion,” said Tia Fields, policy manager for the Louisiana Organization for Refugees and Immigrants (LORI), a Baton Rouge-based nonprofit. “This is a solution in search of a problem.”
Fields and others warned during the hearing that HB 554 could chill engagement with state agencies, including by immigrants who need to legally drive or access state services.
Supporters of the bill claim it is necessary to protect election integrity. During committee debate, Rep. McMakin cited what he said were 48 non-citizens found on Louisiana’s voter rolls. However, no documentation or official report was presented to support that number.
Existing Laws Already Prohibit Non-Citizen Voting
Legal experts have pointed out that both state and federal law already prohibit non-citizens from voting, and any such violations are subject to criminal penalties under existing statutes. Critics argue that HB 554 duplicates these provisions and instead focuses on marking and tracking a specific population.
If enacted, HB 554 would direct the OMV to adopt new regulations and develop procedures to verify immigration status and apply the restriction code to credentials. It also mandates that any future system upgrades at OMV include capabilities to support this policy.
Next Steps
The bill has been ordered engrossed and awaits a vote on the House floor. If passed, it would proceed to the state Senate for consideration.
HB 554 is one of several bills introduced during the 2025 legislative session that opponents say reflect a broader national trend of restricting immigrant rights under the guise of election security. Advocates have signaled that they will continue to monitor and oppose the measure as it advances through the legislature.