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The Louisiana Pro-Entrepreneurship & AI Workforce Act (LA-AI-Workforce)

Louisiana state companion to the AI Workforce Act. Extends geauxBIZ portal, Louisiana Economic Development (LED), and La. R.S. 47:6015 research-and-development credit.

THE LOUISIANA PRO-ENTREPRENEURSHIP & AI WORKFORCE ACT (LA-AI-WORKFORCE)

Vehicle: State passage. Louisiana Legislature, regular session. Primary referral to House Commerce / Ways and Means and Senate Commerce, Consumer Protection, and International Affairs / Revenue and Fiscal Affairs.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE

This Act may be cited as the “Louisiana Pro-Entrepreneurship & AI Workforce Act (LA-AI-Workforce).”

SECTION 2. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT

The Legislature finds that Louisiana operates the geauxBIZ portal through the Secretary of State under La. R.S. 12 (Corporations and Associations); that Louisiana Economic Development (LED) administers economic-development programs under La. R.S. 36:101 et seq.; that La. R.S. 47:6015 provides a research-and-development credit; that LWC administers Individual Training Accounts; and that general commercial law governs data handling. This Act extends these frameworks.

TITLE I — DEFINITIONS & COORDINATION WITH LOUISIANA LAW

Sec. 101. Definitions

  1. (a) “Qualified AI startup” means a Louisiana-formed entity under La. R.S. 12 whose principal business is AI-related software or services, with fewer than 50 FTE employees at claim.
  2. (b) “AI-displaced worker” means a Louisiana-domiciled worker with AI-driven separation.
  3. (c) “LWC provider” means a provider on the Louisiana ETPL.

Sec. 102. Coordination with Existing Louisiana Law

  1. (a) Consistent with:
  • La. R.S. 12 (Corporations and Associations; Ch. 1 corporations, Ch. 24 LLCs under La. R.S. 12:1301 et seq.).
  • La. R.S. 47 (taxation) and Sec. 47:6015 (R&D credit); Sec. 51:2451 et seq. (Industrial Tax Exemption).
  • La. R.S. 36:101 et seq. (LED).
  • La. R.S. 23 (LWC).
  • La. R.S. 17 (K-12 and higher education).

TITLE II — STATE BUSINESS-FORMATION REFORM

Sec. 201. Secretary of State Business-Formation Streamlining

  1. (a) Same-business-day formation pathway for Louisiana LLCs under La. R.S. 12:1301 et seq. and corporations under La. R.S. 12:1-100 et seq. via geauxBIZ.
  2. (b) Machine-readable API within 12 months.

Sec. 202. One-Stop Louisiana Business Portal

  1. (a) The Secretary of State, LED, Louisiana Department of Revenue, and LWC shall integrate entity formation, tax registration, unemployment registration, and LWC Employer of Record registration through the existing geauxBIZ portal.

TITLE III — LOUISIANA AI WORKFORCE TRANSITION

Sec. 301. AI Workforce Transition Accounts

  1. (a) An AI-displaced worker may establish an Account at an LWC Local Workforce Development Area to pay tuition to an LWC provider for reskilling to a LARMC under LA-ACSA Sec. 201 or Federal FRAC.
  2. (b) Funding through state appropriations and Louisiana’s allocation of Federal workforce funds under 29 U.S.C. Sec. 3161 et seq.

Sec. 302. LWC Integration

  1. (a) Administered through existing Local Workforce Development Areas.
  2. (b) Administrative overhead not to exceed 10 percent.

TITLE IV — LOUISIANA AI ENTREPRENEURSHIP INCENTIVES

Sec. 401. Louisiana AI-Startup R&D Credit Enhancement

  1. (a) A qualified AI startup may claim an enhanced credit under La. R.S. 47:6015 for qualified in-State R&D expenditures, subject to annual cap.
  2. (b) Louisiana Department of Revenue administers consistent with existing mechanics.

Sec. 402. Capital Access via LED

  1. (a) LED is authorized to prioritize qualified AI startups under existing programs.
  2. (b) No expansion beyond appropriated amounts.

TITLE V — K-12 & POSTSECONDARY AI FLUENCY

Sec. 501. K-12 AI-Fluency Curriculum Option

  1. (a) BESE, consistent with La. R.S. 17 academic-standards authority, shall approve optional AI-fluency curriculum packages.
  2. (b) Optional.

Sec. 502. Community & Technical College and University AI-Fluency Programs

  1. (a) LCTCS under La. R.S. 17:1871 et seq. and Board of Regents-coordinated institutions may offer AI-fluency certificate programs aligning with the LARMC Registry.

TITLE VI — IMPLEMENTATION & GENERAL PROVISIONS

Sec. 601. Severability

If any provision is held invalid, the invalidity shall not affect the remainder.

Sec. 602. Effective Date

This Act shall take effect August 1 of the year following enactment.

Canonical federal version: AI Workforce. Other Louisiana bills: LA-ACSA, LA-MEWRA, LA-GT&P.