State desk
Ranks 5th of 50 on the Liberty Index.
Where Louisiana stands on 12 policies, sourced from our 50-state trackers, with the latest headlines from 7 Louisiana outlets.
12 policies · each strip is all 50 states, grouped by rule · Louisiana in red. Free to cite with attribution.
No permit required to carry a concealed handgun since July 2024; optional permits remain available for reciprocity.
Louisiana is 1 of 29 states with this rule
15 · Shall-Issue Permit6 · Restrictive: Permit Required
Louisiana taxes individual income at a single flat rate of 3.00 percent, ranking 37 of 41 among the states that tax income. Fifteen states use a single-rate structure.
Louisiana is 1 of 15 states with this rule
8 · No Income Tax1 · Capital Gains Only26 · Graduated Brackets
Louisiana charges 20.93 cents per gallon in state tax, ranking 44 of 50, which is among the lowest in the country. With the federal 18.40 cents added, a driver pays 39.33 cents per gallon in tax. Diesel is taxed at 20.93 cents.
Louisiana is 1 of 17 states with this rule
17 · Among the Highest16 · Near the Middle
Retains the death penalty.
Louisiana is 1 of 23 states with this rule
4 · Retains it, executions paused23 · Abolished
Right-to-work by statute since 1976.
Louisiana is 1 of 26 states with this rule
24 · No Right-to-Work Law
No state minimum wage law; the federal $7.25 floor applies to covered employers.
Louisiana is 1 of 5 states with this rule
30 · Above the Federal Floor12 · Matches the Federal Floor3 · Below Federal, So Federal Applies
Voters are asked for photo ID; those without one can still cast a counted ballot by signing an affidavit.
Louisiana is 1 of 14 states with this rule
10 · Strict Photo ID4 · Strict Non-Photo ID8 · ID Requested (No Photo)14 · No Document Required
LA GATOR Scholarship ESA (2024) began income-prioritized and is expanding toward all students.
Louisiana is 1 of 17 states with this rule
16 · Limited Program17 · No Private-Choice Program
NCSL lists Louisiana among states recognizing, by statute or court case, that there is no duty to retreat in any place where a person is lawfully present. Self-defense law here also shields a person from civil suit for damages.
Louisiana is 1 of 31 states with this rule
7 · Recognized by Court Decision12 · Not Listed by NCSL
Voters must provide a qualifying excuse, such as absence or disability, to vote absentee by mail.
Louisiana is 1 of 13 states with this rule
8 · All-Mail29 · No-Excuse Absentee
Louisiana's unemployment rate was 4.0% in September 2026, seasonally adjusted, down 0.2 percentage points from 4.2% in August. It ranks 28th lowest of 51 (the 50 states and D.C.), up from 31st. A year earlier, in September 2025, it was 4.2%. The U.S. rate was 4.2%.
Data retrieved from the BLS public API on October 30, 2026. BLS.gov cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from BLS.gov.
Elected statewide to a four-year term.
Louisiana is 1 of 43 states with this rule
5 · Appointed by the governor1 · Chosen by the legislature1 · Appointed by the state supreme court