This bill, HB 908, adjusts the effective date of a previous law regarding fees charged by the Secretary of State. It does not create new fees or change who pays them, but instead sets a specific start date of October 1, 2026, for the provisions to take effect. The amendment modifies the existing legislative text to ensure the fee changes begin on this specified date rather than immediately. This change primarily affects individuals and businesses that interact with the Secretary of State's office after the new effective date.
HB 368 increases penalties for demolishing historic structures in New Orleans without proper approval. It raises the maximum fine to either $50,000 or 15% of a property's tax-assessed value (whichever is greater) for owners, agents, or lessees who demolish buildings without a required "certificate of appropriateness." This directly affects property owners, developers, and preservation commissions in New Orleans by strengthening enforcement of historic district regulations. The bill amends existing law to provide clearer financial consequences for violating historic preservation rules. It does not create new requirements but elevates penalties for existing violations.
HB 352 requires Louisiana public school districts to create and publish policies enabling behavioral health services for students during school hours. It allows services in classrooms during instructional time (including core subjects) if parents provide a provider-approved evaluation and treatment plan showing medical necessity, with in-person supervision by certified behavior analysts required. The bill defines key terms like "medically necessary services" and mandates that schools collaborate with providers to schedule services without disrupting school operations or testing. It directly affects public school students needing behavioral health support, their parents, school administrators, and behavioral health providers.
HB 538 creates a dedicated judicial expense fund for East Baton Rouge Parish's Juvenile Court by increasing civil filing fees (up to $75) and adding $10 in criminal nonsupport cases. The fund can cover court staff salaries, equipment, operational costs, and library expenses, but explicitly prohibits using it to pay judges' salaries. All fund disbursements require oversight by the court's chief judge and judges sitting en banc, with annual audits filed publicly. This bill directly affects the financial administration of juvenile court proceedings in East Baton Rouge Parish.
HB 441 repeals a requirement from Act No. 384 (2024) that previously mandated the State Civil Service Commission and New Orleans' City Civil Service Commission to create a plan for transferring employees of the New Orleans Sewerage and Water Board into the state civil service system. This bill directly affects employees of the New Orleans Sewerage and Water Board by ending the obligation to develop such a transfer plan. The key mechanism is simply removing the specific provision (Section 2 of Act No. 384) from law. As a procedural repeal, it makes no new policy changes but alters the existing legal framework governing the board's employee classification.
HB 559 increases the maximum court filing fees and costs for the Fourth Judicial District in Louisiana to $15.35 per civil case or criminal conviction. This affects individuals filing civil lawsuits or those convicted in criminal cases within the district, requiring them to pay this fee in addition to other costs. The funds collected will be deposited into the district's judicial expense fund. (Procedural bill; summary limited to 2 sentences as requested.)
This bill establishes the comprehensive capital outlay budget for Louisiana state government, institutions, and public entities for the 2026-2027 fiscal year, allocating specific funding amounts for designated projects and improvements. It outlines how funds will be sourced from the state treasury, federal funds, and self-generated revenues, with particular attention to general obligation bonds and their priority system for funding projects. The legislation sets rules for project prioritization, allowing the State Bond Commission to fund higher priority projects first while permitting exceptions for emergencies or impractical situations, and requires legislative approval for changes to project descriptions or priority designations.
HB 1 is Louisiana's budget bill for Fiscal Year 2026-2027, allocating state funds for the ordinary operating expenses of all state government departments and offices. It specifies funding amounts for departments like the Executive Office, Department of Veterans Affairs, Secretary of State, and others, covering day-to-day operations such as administrative costs, elections, and state programs. This bill does not create new policies or programs; it directs existing budget resources to maintain current government functions. It directly affects state agencies by providing their operational funding for the upcoming fiscal year.
HB 312 allocates $144 million in supplemental funding from the 2024-2025 state budget surplus to pay down existing pension obligations for Louisiana's state retirement systems. It directly affects retirees covered by the Louisiana School Employees' Retirement System, Louisiana State Police Retirement System, Louisiana State Employees' Retirement System, and Teachers' Retirement System. The bill uses specific dollar amounts ($4.8M, $1.8M, $60M, and $77.7M respectively) to cover unpaid pension liabilities for Fiscal Year 2025-2026, drawing solely from the state's surplus funds without new taxes or fees. This is a routine budget adjustment to fulfill existing financial commitments, not a new policy change.
HB 1236 amends Louisiana laws governing pharmacy benefit manager reimbursements to establish a new payment formula based on claims data. This formula requires that reimbursement adjustments aim for a claim payment error rate of no more than two percent per drug. The bill also mandates that professional dispensing fees paid to pharmacists must be at least equal to the fee currently set by the Louisiana Department of Health for Medicaid. These changes directly affect pharmacy benefit managers and the state's Medicaid program by updating how they are compensated for dispensing medications.
This bill amends the text of a Senate resolution regarding the removal of judges for serious offenses like malfeasance or incompetence. The changes involve correcting a spelling error in the word "canons" and adding the preposition "of" to clarify the reference to United States laws. These adjustments do not alter the substantive policy or the process for addressing judicial misconduct but ensure the legislative document is accurate. The bill is currently in the final stages of passage after being referred to a committee and amended.
HB 1194 amends the Healthy Food Retail Act to require the Louisiana State University Agricultural Center to work with the Department of Agriculture and Forestry. This collaboration aims to gather data, conduct research, and share technical information to identify and map food deserts across the state. The bill directly affects these two state agencies by mandating their joint efforts to address food access issues. It does not create new funding or alter existing programs but focuses on improving data collection regarding where residents lack access to healthy food options.
