HB 812 authorizes a 5% annual increase in salary for Louisiana parish assessors (who determine property values for tax purposes) through 2029. The bill requires assessors to publish a 30-day notice in their parish's official journal before implementing each raise, with the first increase effective in 2026. The raises apply to all assessors regardless of parish size, building on existing salary tiers based on population. This change affects approximately 64 parish assessors statewide, with four scheduled increases (one per year) over the 2026-2029 period. The law takes effect July 1, 2026, pending legislative approval if vetoed.
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.
SB 312 changes how Louisiana public school employees (including teachers) pay union dues or fees. It requires employers to immediately stop deductions when an employee requests to stop, and mandates annual written notifications to employees about their right to withdraw from union membership without penalty. The bill also requires unions to maintain separate funds for political activities (with clear voluntary contribution rules) and prohibits using regular dues for political purposes. These provisions apply to all public school employees but exclude law enforcement and firefighters.
HB 456 amends Louisiana's workers' compensation laws to clarify the requirements for filing claims and disputing benefits. It specifies that a claim petition must include the parties' names, injury details, specific benefits sought, and a request for relief. Employers may only file a disputed claim against an employee, dependent, or beneficiary if alleging fraud under R.S. 23:1208 or appealing a medical director's decision under R.S. 23:1203.1(K). The bill directly affects workers filing claims and employers disputing those claims, streamlining the process while limiting disputes to specific legal grounds.
HB 819 updates Louisiana's workers' compensation medical treatment guidelines by adopting evidence-based Official Disability Guidelines (ODG) as the standard for non-covered treatments. It directly affects injured workers, employers, and healthcare providers by requiring all medical treatments not listed in the official schedule to follow strict, current evidence-based criteria. Key provisions mandate that such treatments must rely on comprehensive medical literature reviews, address potential biases, use the most recent guidelines (within five years), and align with interdisciplinary standards. The bill repeals outdated sections to streamline the process, ensuring treatments are scientifically supported and cost-effective for workers' compensation cases.
HB 185 clarifies the definition of an "independent contractor" under Louisiana's workers' compensation law. It states that independent contractors are generally excluded from workers' comp coverage unless "a substantial part" of their work involves manual labor. The bill specifically excludes trucking-related tasks (like driving, fueling, or connecting trailers) from counting as manual labor. Additionally, it expands coverage to include employees of independent contractors and other contractors working through them. This change directly affects workers and businesses classified as independent contractors in Louisiana.
HB 286 repeals existing Louisiana law (R.S. 33:7728) governing the St. Tammany Parish Mosquito Abatement District. The bill removes the district's independent authority to control its own spending, prohibits it from extending services beyond its defined boundaries, and ends its ability to cover certain employee health insurance claims. These changes directly affect the St. Tammany Mosquito Abatement District by altering its operational powers and financial management. The bill does not create new services or funding but modifies the district's legal framework.
HB 537 repeals the statutory creation of Louisiana's Workers' Compensation Advisory Council. The bill eliminates a 17-member body that previously monitored workers' compensation administration, made recommendations to the legislature, and reviewed proposed rules. This council included representatives from labor, business, medical associations, attorneys, and the public. The repeal removes this advisory structure without replacing it, directly affecting the council's members and the process for gathering their input on workers' compensation policies. The bill does not change workers' compensation rules or benefits.
This bill updates Louisiana workers' compensation laws to clarify definitions and procedures for injured employees. It formally defines "maximum medical improvement" as a point where an employee's condition is unlikely to improve substantially, even if they continue receiving treatment for chronic pain. The legislation also establishes clearer rules for temporary and permanent disability benefits, including specific maximum time limits for receiving compensation and new provisions for supplemental earnings benefits. Additionally, the bill strengthens fraud prevention measures by defining what constitutes willful misrepresentation of benefits and outlines requirements for vocational rehabilitation services to help injured workers return to suitable employment.
HB 780 strengthens protections for Louisiana workers by imposing penalties on employers or insurers who delay or deny workers' compensation payments or medical treatment. It sets daily penalties of up to $50 (capped at $2,000 per claim) or 12% of unpaid benefits, plus attorney fees, unless the delay was reasonable. Employers must send specific written notices within 3 business days when modifying benefits and respond to employee payment demands within 7 business days to avoid penalties. Total penalties at a hearing are capped at $8,000, and attorney fees from penalty cases are exempt from standard fee limits.
