Louisiana bill would end local sales taxes on groceries, soft drinks and other essentials

BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — A bill filed for the 2025 regular legislative session would eliminate local sales tax on certain food and beverage items in Louisiana.

House Bill 229, authored by Rep. Danny McCormick (R-Oil City), proposes a mandatory local sales and use tax exemption on the same types of grocery items that are already exempt from state sales tax.

If passed, local governments would no longer be able to tax the following:

• Food for home consumption, including bakery products
• Dairy products
• Soft drinks
• Fresh fruits and vegetables
• Packaged foods that require preparation by the purchaser

Currently, Louisiana exempts these items from state sales tax, but cities and parishes can still impose local taxes. HB 229 seeks to standardize the exemption across the state by prohibiting any local tax authority from applying sales tax to these items.

The measure would align local tax rules with existing state exemptions and could offer some relief to residents facing rising grocery costs. However, it may also have financial implications for local governments that rely on sales tax revenue.

The regular legislative session begins April 14.

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