Environment

in committee · Louisiana · Senate Mar 9, 2026

SB 126: FORESTRY: Provides relative to prescribed burning by noncertified prescribed burn managers. (8/1/26)

SB 126 allows Louisiana's Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry to create rules governing prescribed burning conducted by noncertified burn managers. This directly affects noncertified managers who would now operate under state-set guidelines instead of existing unregulated practices. The key provision authorizes the Commissioner to develop these rules through standard administrative processes under the Administrative Procedure Act. The bill establishes new regulatory standards for prescribed burning without requiring managers to obtain certification.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentRegulates unregulated prescribed burning by noncertified managers, creating state guidelines to prevent environmental harm from improper burning practices.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Forestry

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in committee · Louisiana · Senate Mar 9, 2026

SB 356: ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY: Provides for air monitoring systems in certain facilities. (8/1/26)

SB 356 requires specific industrial facilities - such as petroleum refineries and chemical manufacturers with annual toxic air pollutant emissions exceeding 50 pounds - to install continuous real-time air monitoring systems at their property boundaries. These systems must track 17 listed toxic pollutants (like benzene, chlorine, and formaldehyde) and automatically alert the public and authorities if levels exceed safety thresholds (e.g., benzene above 27 micrograms per cubic meter). Facilities must report data quarterly, maintain records for five years, and publicly share real-time air quality data via a website. The bill applies only to facilities meeting the defined emission and industry criteria, with implementation pending final legislative approval.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentMandates real-time air monitoring for toxic pollutants with public alerts at safety thresholds, strengthening pollution control regulations for industrial facilities.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRequires real-time air monitoring for toxic pollutants at industrial facilities, directly improving workplace safety for workers exposed to hazardous emissions.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Air Quality

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in committee · Louisiana · Senate Apr 7, 2026

SB 37: HEALTH DEPARTMENT: Provides relative to lead poisoning prevention. (8/1/26) (EG +$1,205,479 GF EX See Note)

SB 37 establishes a statewide lead poisoning prevention program within Louisiana's Department of Health. It requires lead testing in early learning centers and schools (with prekindergarten programs or elementary grades) built before 1978 to obtain occupancy approval, and mandates healthcare providers to report confirmed lead poisoning cases. The program also sets protocols for detecting lead sources (prioritizing areas with recent cases and children under six) and requires abatement of lead hazards when contamination is found. These changes directly affect schools, healthcare providers, and the Department of Health, focusing on prevention, testing, and treatment for children under six.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires lead testing and abatement in schools (pre-K/elementary) built before 1978 to ensure safe learning environments, directly supporting school infrastructure safety.85% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentMandates lead testing in schools and abatement of lead sources, directly reducing environmental exposure to a toxic pollutant per pollution control indicators.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEstablishes lead poisoning prevention program requiring school testing and healthcare reporting, strengthening public health protections for children under six.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Early Childhood

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signed · Louisiana · House May 5, 2026

HB 767: WILDLIFE/FEES: Authorizes recreational alligator hunting license and lottery fees

HB 767 would create a lottery system for Louisiana residents seeking recreational alligator hunting permits. It requires a $50 nonrefundable entry fee for the lottery, with successful applicants receiving harvest tags at no additional cost (the fee may apply toward a $25 annual resident license). All revenue from lottery fees and auctions would be directed to the state Conservation Fund. This bill specifically affects Louisiana residents who wish to hunt alligators recreationally under a new permit system, pending legislative approval.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesDirects $50 lottery fees to Conservation Fund, funding a state program via user fees rather than taxes.95% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill directs lottery fees to Conservation Fund, funding wildlife management and conservation efforts per bill summary.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Conservation Wildlife

in committee · Louisiana · House Mar 9, 2026

HB 80: CIVIL/LAW: Establishes strict liability for damages caused from carbon storage and transportation

HB 80 establishes strict liability for owners or operators of carbon dioxide (CO2) storage facilities or pipelines transporting CO2 for geologic storage in Louisiana. This means companies would be held fully responsible for damages caused by CO2 leaks or releases - without needing to prove negligence or fault. The law directly affects energy companies operating these facilities, requiring them to cover all resulting harm to people, property, or the environment. Key provisions mandate that liability applies to any "authorized release or loss of containment" of CO2, shifting the burden from affected parties to the facility operators.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentHolds carbon storage operators strictly liable for environmental damage from CO2 leaks, requiring full compensation and strengthening accountability for pollution control.95% confidence

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in committee · Louisiana · Senate Mar 9, 2026

SB 59: FISH/FISHING: Provides for menhaden. (8/1/26) (OR NO IMPACT See Note)

SB 59 regulates commercial menhaden fishing in Louisiana by limiting bycatch. It requires that no commercial fisher taking menhaden may possess more than five percent, by weight, of any fish species other than menhaden or herring-like species. This directly affects commercial fishing operations harvesting menhaden along Louisiana's coast. The bill establishes a specific weight-based restriction to minimize the incidental capture of non-target fish during menhaden fishing.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentLimits bycatch to conserve non-target fish species, directly advancing marine resource protection through weight-based restrictions on commercial fishing operations.95% confidence

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signed · Louisiana · House May 29, 2026

HB 417: FUNDS/FUNDING: Increases the maximum balance of the Hazardous Waste Site Cleanup Fund (EN NO IMPACT See Note)

HB 417 increases the maximum balance of Louisiana's Hazardous Waste Site Cleanup Fund from a fixed $6.8 million to an amount adjusted annually based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) starting January 1, 2027. This change affects how the state manages funds generated from hazardous waste cleanup penalties, settlements, and fees collected under environmental laws. The bill requires the state treasurer to redirect excess funds above the new, inflation-adjusted cap into the Environmental Trust Fund, rather than the previous fixed limit. The adjustment mechanism ensures the fund's capacity grows with inflation, avoiding future budget constraints from rising costs. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAdjusts fund cap via CPI for fiscal responsibility, redirects excess to Environmental Trust Fund85% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentIncreases hazardous waste cleanup funding via CPI-adjusted cap and redirects excess to Environmental Trust Fund, strengthening environmental protection efforts.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Hazardous Materials

in committee · Louisiana · Senate Mar 9, 2026

SB 332: ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL: Provides relative to the dumping of waste tires. (8/1/26)

SB 332 prohibits the intentional disposal of whole waste tires in landfills as final disposal. It allows landfills to accept tires that have been processed - such as cut, separated, or shredded - according to rules set by Louisiana's environmental department. The bill directly affects waste tire processors, landfills, and waste management companies handling tire disposal. It clarifies existing rules to prevent illegal dumping while providing a regulated pathway for tire disposal through processing.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentProhibits illegal tire dumping and mandates regulated disposal of processed tires, directly preventing pollution and strengthening waste management environmental regulations.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Waste Management

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signed · Louisiana · House May 29, 2026

HB 665: FISHING/NETS: Prohibits hoop nets and seines from being utilized in North Pass and Manchac Pass

HB 665 prohibits the use of hoop nets and seines (specific types of fishing gear) in North Pass and Manchac Pass, from Interstate 55 to Lake Pontchartrain in Louisiana. This law directly affects commercial and recreational fishermen operating in those waterways. The key provision bans these gear types within the defined geographic boundaries specified in the bill. The legislation aims to manage fishing practices in these specific coastal areas, though it does not specify the underlying reasons for the prohibition.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBans destructive fishing gear (hoop nets/seines) in ecologically sensitive coastal areas to protect marine habitats and species conservation, directly advancing environmental protection.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Coastal & Flood Protection

signed · Louisiana · Senate Jun 2, 2026

SB 367: WATER MANAGEMENT: Creates the Watershed Restoration and Conservation Fund. (8/1/26) (EN INCREASE SD EX See Note)

SB 367 creates Louisiana's Watershed Conservation Fund to support restoration of lands and watersheds damaged by sand and stone mining. The fund is financed by remaining severance tax revenues from these mining operations after other required allocations (like coastal protection funds). It directly affects eligible watershed management entities that meet specific criteria, such as having statutory floodplain management authority and a governing board with parish representation and relevant expertise. Funds will be used for reclaiming abandoned mining sites, reducing flood risks in vulnerable areas, and improving water quality in impaired watersheds. The secretary of the department must annually report fund administration to relevant legislative committees.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentCreates Watershed Conservation Fund for restoring lands/watersheds damaged by mining, funded by mining severance taxes, directly advancing environmental conservation and restoration efforts.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Coastal & Flood Protection Conservation Water Quality