GNO, Inc. Sunday Night Highlight – Legislative Economic Development Wins for 2026 👍

The 2026 Louisiana Legislative Session has produced a range of important economic development wins for the state and its future.

The GNO, Inc. legislative team is led by Chief External Affairs Officer Jasmine Brown DeRousselle and Policy and Research Manager Harrison Gitz, and supported by the Public Policy Committee, with Chair Todd Murphy; partners and legislators from across the state are essential members of the team. 2026 results included:

• Louisiana State Infrastructure Bank (HB 1157) – GNO, Inc. co-led the creation of this new financing tool with the Office of the Governor. Joining a small number of other states in the USA, Louisiana will now have a public-private “bank” to provide gap financing for large infrastructure projects, such as roads and bridges, as well as funding for rural communities that would otherwise be strapped for cash.
• High Impact Jobs Program and Site Development Fund – With LED at the helm, GNO, Inc. helped secure a $125 million budget allocation for the High Impact Jobs Program to support high-wage job creation and $50 million for the Louisiana Site Development Fund. These programs are working:   the average salary of a new job LED, GNO, Inc., and partners have helped secure over the past two years is $95,000
• Protecting Clean Energy – GNO, Inc. partnered with industry leaders to defeat more than 20 anti-carbon capture proposals that would have replaced Louisiana’s statewide clean energy framework with a parish-by-parish patchwork of rules. The Louisiana Energy Protection Act (HB 804), passed in its place, protects the environment, while supporting Louisiana’s all-of-the-above clean energy strategy.
• Aerospace Economic Development Package (Act 188, Act 189, Act 101, Act 190) – GNO, Inc. supported a comprehensive package to position Louisiana for future aerospace investment.
• Workforce Pipeline Legislation – Under the leadership of Louisiana Works, a broad set of workforce bills moved through the session, streamlining how the state deploys workforce development. Additionally, GNO, Inc. supported the creation of the Workforce Instructor Capacity Investment Program (HB 807), Bayou Works employer training grants (HB 549), youth apprenticeship eligibility standards (Act 490), and a female re-entry pilot program (Act 290).
• Insurance Cost Reduction – With GNO, Inc. support, roughly $50 million was channeled into the Louisiana Fortify Homes Program Fund to help homeowners afford fortified roofs, and lower their insurance premiums.

In addition to these measures, GNO, Inc. secured $2 million for regional economic development organizations statewide, delivered state funding for a Violet Action Committee strategic plan tied to the Louisiana International Terminal, advanced port and maritime competitiveness measures, and supported the Pilot Innovation Hub Program (SB 384), which authorizes parishes to designate themselves as testing grounds for innovative technologies that address local challenges and drive economic ..

You can read GNO, Inc.’s full 2026 Legislative Session Recap here.