HB 145 creates a new program to cover uncovered medical and dental expenses for full-time firemen and law enforcement officers (including sheriffs, state police, municipal police, and university police) injured while performing job duties. It requires the Law Enforcement Officers and Firemen's Survivor Benefit Review Board to review claims within 60 days and authorizes the state risk director to pay up to $50,000 per injury for expenses not covered by workers' compensation or employer health insurance. The bill excludes coverage for injuries caused by intentional misconduct, intoxication, or gross negligence. This program applies to injuries occurring on or after January 1, 2023, with the law taking effect July 1, 2026.
This bill amends state laws to update the funding and administration of the Back on Track Youth Pilot Program for at-risk juveniles. It mandates that fifteen percent of annual savings from criminal justice reforms be directed to the program. The Office of Juvenile Justice within the Department of Public Safety and Corrections is designated as the intermediary to manage the funds. Administration of the program will involve a partnership between this office, other state departments, and selected nonprofit groups.
This bill updates Louisiana's local sales and use tax audit procedures to increase transparency and fairness for taxpayers. It requires tax collectors to randomly select businesses for audits rather than targeting specific ones without cause, unless there is documented evidence of tax violations. The law also mandates that collectors get approval from their governing board before starting any audit and must provide advance notice to taxpayers. Additionally, the bill prohibits collectors from forcing taxpayers to sign time-limit waivers as a condition of closing an audit and clarifies rules about interest and penalties on unpaid taxes.
HB 181 authorizes the Louisiana Department of Revenue to share state income tax return data with the legislative auditor exclusively to improve Medicaid program integrity. It specifically permits this data sharing to verify Medicaid eligibility accuracy, detect fraud, and comply with existing Medicaid fraud laws. The bill restricts the use of this data to these three purposes only and requires formal agreements between agencies for data sharing. This affects Medicaid program participants and administrators by enabling targeted fraud prevention through cross-agency data access.
HCR 3 establishes a quarterly assessment on Louisiana hospitals to stabilize funding without using state general funds. It requires hospitals to pay a percentage of their inpatient and outpatient revenue (ranging from 1.38% to 6.74%, with exemptions for rural hospitals and small facilities under 40 beds). The collected funds support Medicaid reimbursement enhancements for hospitals, ensuring payments meet or exceed 2026 rates while aligning with federal CMS guidelines. This directly affects most acute care hospitals in Louisiana, excluding rural and small facilities, and aims to preserve hospital services for all residents.
SB 300 updates Louisiana's procurement code specifically for information technology (IT) systems, services, and related contracts. It establishes new definitions (like "Invitation to negotiate" for IT procurement) and sets rules for rental contracts (max 12-month renewals without bidding, price limits), multiyear IT contracts (requiring written approval for over 3 years), and master agreements (needing procurement team review). The bill directly affects state agencies and IT vendors by clarifying how IT procurement must be conducted, including requiring procurement support team reviews for certain contracts. It does not change overall procurement law but specifies IT procurement procedures to supersede conflicting statutes for IT-related purchases.
HB 59 requires East Baton Rouge Parish and its cities to fund specific expenses for the 19th Judicial District Court's public defender office, which serves people who cannot afford legal representation. The bill mandates that local governments cover salaries for staff (including public defenders, clerks, and investigators) and operational costs like supplies, travel, and equipment. Funding responsibility is shared proportionally between the parish and individual cities, as determined by their governing authorities. This complements existing state funding and directly affects the office's ability to provide indigent defense services in East Baton Rouge Parish.
This resolution requested that the Louisiana Department of Health provide more detailed breakdowns of Medicaid spending in its monthly budget reports, specifically asking for separate data on managed care payments, pharmacy rebates, and interagency transfers. The bill aimed to increase transparency for lawmakers and auditors by requiring the department to disaggregate large, currently combined financial categories without needing new data collection or funding. Although the measure sought to enhance oversight of the state's largest budget program, it was rejected by the House of Representatives with a vote of 7 to 89.
This bill asks the legislative auditor to review how fiscal notes are created during the legislative session. The review will compare the state's current process with similar systems used in other states to identify potential improvements. It also requires the auditor to examine the data and information used in these fiscal notes. The changes aim to enhance the evaluation of the legislative fiscal office's work without altering the underlying budgeting laws.
This Louisiana concurrent resolution asks the U.S. Congress to pass full-year funding bills for the military without delay. It specifically requests that these funding measures match the spending levels authorized by the National Defense Authorization Act to prevent uncertainty. The bill aims to ensure stable resources for military operations, construction, and support services for service members and their families in Louisiana. It does not change any laws or allocate money itself but serves as a formal request from the state legislature to the federal government.
