BATON ROUGE, LA — In a move hailed by constituents as “long overdue,” the Louisiana State Senate has overwhelmingly voted to formally recognize “thoughts and prayers” as a legitimate and legally binding form of currency. The bipartisan bill, passed with a 35-2 margin, is expected to revolutionize the state’s economy by introducing a completely non-physical medium of exchange.

Senator Agnes DuPont (R-Bayou Bluff), the bill’s primary sponsor, stated, “For too long, the hard work of thinking and praying has gone uncompensated. This legislation finally acknowledges the immense spiritual capital our citizens generate daily. Now, when you offer thoughts and prayers, you’re not just being supportive; you’re literally paying your respects – and your bills.”

Economists are scrambling to understand the implications. Dr. Quentin P. Moneybags, head of the Institute for Abstract Economics at Southern Louisiana University, expressed cautious optimism. “While the traditional fiat currency relies on government trust, this new system leverages faith. It’s a bold experiment in spiritual quantitative easing. We anticipate a significant shift from material wealth to… well, whatever thoughts and prayers are made of.” He added that the state is currently developing a blockchain-based ledger to track and verify exchanges of spiritual currency, tentatively named 'PrayPal.'

Critics, primarily the two dissenting senators, raised concerns about the practicality of using non-fungible spiritual units to purchase groceries or pay taxes. However, their objections were largely dismissed as “lacking faith” and “being overly materialistic.” The bill now heads to the Governor’s desk, where it is expected to be signed into law, ushering in a new era of fiscal piety.

Local businesses are already preparing, with many planning to install “Thoughts & Prayers Accepted Here” signage, though the exchange rate for a single 'prayer unit' remains undetermined.