HB 80 Louisiana House · 2025 Regular Session

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS: Provides relative to first responders

HB 80 expands Louisiana's definition of "first responder" to include electrical linemen during weather emergencies declared by the governor. It defines "electrical lineman" as a private-sector worker who installs, maintains, or repairs power systems, clarifying they remain private employees without state benefits. The bill specifies that electrical linemen may display "first responder" on uniforms but are not governed by state or local government. This change applies only to weather emergencies under state emergency protocols, not other incidents.

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Mar 2025

Committee Review

May 2025

House Passage

May 2025

Senate Passage

May 2025

Signed into Law

Jun 2025

Introduced Mar 17, 2025 Signed Jun 4, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB80 Original → HB80 Act 53 · 3 edits

MINOR

This bill amends the Louisiana Homeland Security and Emergency Assistance and Disaster Act to officially include electrical linemen in the legal definition of 'first responders.' The change ensures that linemen providing immediate support during emergencies are recognized under the same protective statutes as other first responders, such as firefighters and medical personnel. Additionally, the bill includes a technical correction to renumber the definitions in the relevant statute to maintain alphabetical order.

Scope change

The scope of the 'first responder' definition was expanded to explicitly include electrical linemen, whereas previously they were not listed in the statutory definition.

DEFINITION

Added 'electrical linemen' to the list of individuals classified as 'first responders' in R.S. 29:723(6).

Added a new provision in R.S. 29:739(C) to define 'electrical lineman' as personnel who install, maintain, or repair electrical systems to provide immediate support during prevention, response, and recovery operations.

TECHNICAL

Modified the structure of R.S. 29:723 to renumber definitions alphabetically for better organization.

Floor votes · Senate May 28, 2025 · House May 7, 2025

How they voted

36–0

Passed · 1 other

Total votes 37

May 28, 2025

D Democratic11

11 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican26

25 Yea 1

96% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

May 28, 2025

Upper · Passed

Read by title, passed by a vote of 38 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

upper

May 14, 2025

Committee

Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.

upper

May 13, 2025

Upper · Passed

Reported favorably.

upper

May 7, 2025

Lower · Passed

Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 98, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.

lower

Apr 30, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reported favorably (14-0).

lower

Apr 14, 2025

Committee

Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

lower

Mar 17, 2025

Committee

Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

lower

1 primary · 11 co-sponsors