Louisiana establishes legislative committee to study crypto, blockchain, and AI

The US state of Louisiana has passed House Resolution 317 to establish a legislative subcommittee to study the impact of cryptocurrency, blockchain technology, and artificial intelligence.

Introduced by Representative Mark Wright, the resolution was adopted following a June 10 Regular Session of the House of Representatives, where it passed with unanimous support in a 90–0 vote.

HR 317 creates a new subcommittee under the House Committee on Commerce to assess how emerging technologies are shaping the state’s economy, legislation, and daily life.

The subcommittee is required to begin its work before September 1, 2025, and submit a final report by February 1, 2026, to the House Committee on Commerce and the David R. Poynter Legislative Research Library.

The report will include an analysis of current use cases for AI, blockchain, and cryptocurrency in Louisiana, as well as a comparison with developments in other US states.

The panel is tasked with evaluating cybersecurity risks, privacy concerns, and regulatory challenges, alongside opportunities related to economic growth, workforce development, and public-sector innovation. 

It will also explore whether new state laws are needed to manage these technologies safely and effectively.

To support an inclusive review process, the resolution calls on the subcommittee to host public hearings and gather expert testimony, while also engaging educators, students, and business owners through dedicated community forums.

The subcommittee will consist of members of the House Committee on Commerce, with the committee chair or a designee presiding over the first meeting.

Over the years, Louisiana has firmly positioned itself as a pro-crypto pioneer. In September 2024, the state became the first in the U.S. to accept cryptocurrency payments for government services, allowing residents to pay fines and fees with Bitcoin, Bitcoin Lightning Network, and USD Coin.

Representative Wright has continued to champion digital asset integration, having earlier authored a Bitcoin Rights bill that affirms citizens’ rights to transact in Bitcoin, prohibits central bank digital currency trials, and safeguards home-based crypto mining.

However, Louisiana has not yet introduced legislation to establish a state-level Bitcoin reserve, a move other states are already pursuing. Neighbouring state Texas, for instance, recently passed Senate Bill 21, creating a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve managed by the state Comptroller, and it now awaits the governor’s approval.

According to data from crypto legislation tracker Bitcoin Laws, at least 16 U.S. states were reviewing similar bills as of June 11.