Letter From the Executive Director- Fee Schedule Revisions, Notice of fee schedule changes

I am pleased to inform you that House Bill 157, our fee increase legislation filed during the 2025 Regular Legislative Session, was signed into law by Governor Jeff Landry on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, and is now Act 309. This legislation will officially go into effect on August 1, 2025.

This marks the culmination of a long and necessary journey that began in June 2023, when I hired Logan Berthelot, an LSU Master of Public Administration student, to conduct a feasibility study for the agency. The goal was to close a $300,000 annual budget deficit that the agency has operated under for several years. It is important to note that our fees have not increased since 2003, despite an inflationary rise of 70%. The fee study, completed in September 2024, compared our fees to those of nine other southeastern states. Additionally, Heather Mitchell, my administrative assistant, and a certified accountant, conducted a cost analysis on issuing a company license, an instructor license, and guard registration, which supported and validated Logan's conclusion on the fee study. 

With that data in hand, we received approval from the Board to pursue legislation that would raise the initial application fee from $50 to $75, and the guard renewal fee from $40 to $65. Furthermore, slight adjustments have been made to consolidate the other items on the fee schedule and remove impertinent ones. These new rates remain below the national average and were designed with fairness and sustainability in mind. HB-157 received unanimous approval from both the House and Senate Commerce Committees and passed with full support from both chambers of the Legislature before being signed into law. 

I want to take this opportunity to express my deepest gratitude to the Governor, the Legislature, the LSBPSE staff, and most importantly, to you, the private security industry and company owners. Your support, engagement, and partnership were crucial in achieving this milestone. 

With this legislation, we are now able to implement a fee-based budget that ensures the-agency can continue to operate effectively. As a state agency, we remain committed to fiscal responsibility and transparency, and this funding will be reinvested directly into the industry through modernized technology, expanded training opportunities, and enhanced customer service.

This is more than a fee adjustment-it is an investment in the future of the private security profession in Louisiana, and we are proud to work alongside you to strengthen and professionalize this essential industry.

Thank you for your continued trust and support.

Sincerely,

Carl Saizan,

Executive Director.