Rep. Jacob Braud

Maddy summaryThis bill increases survivor benefits for families of law enforcement officers and firefighters who die while performing their official duties. It establishes a base payment of $350,000 to the surviving spouse, or to the children or estate if no spouse exists, with an additional $50,000 for each dependent child. The law requires officers and firefighters to complete beneficiary designation forms and specifies that payments come from the state's Self-Insurance Fund. These changes take effect on July 1, 2026, and apply to deaths resulting from injuries sustained while protecting life and property during official activities.

Maddy summaryHB 457 establishes minimum housing standards for emergency shelters, community facilities, group homes, and halfway houses serving individuals experiencing homelessness in Louisiana. The Louisiana Department of Health must create rules covering safety, sanitation, privacy, and habitability for these facilities, in consultation with the state fire marshal. The fire marshal will conduct annual inspections to ensure these housing options meet safety and sanitation standards. Additionally, the Department of Health must seek federal waivers to secure healthcare funding for homeless individuals receiving these services. The bill directly affects homeless service providers and the housing conditions they offer.

Maddy summaryHB 401 designates the elevated section of U.S. Highway 190 over the Bogue Falaya River in Covington, St. Tammany Parish, as the "Corporal Justin D. McLeese Memorial Bridge" to honor a military corporal. The bill requires the Louisiana Department of Transportation to install signage reflecting this name, using local or private funds to cover costs up to $2,250 per sign. This is a ceremonial naming bill with no substantive policy changes, solely commemorating an individual through a public infrastructure designation.

Maddy summaryHB 719 mandates minimum staffing levels for assistant district attorneys (ADAs) across all 42 judicial districts in Louisiana, including Orleans Parish (New Orleans). The bill specifies exact minimum numbers - such as 35 ADAs for the First Judicial District and 83 for Orleans Parish - requiring district attorneys to appoint at least these numbers in each district. It also requires approval from the Governor’s Advisory and Review Commission on Assistant District Attorneys before implementation, with the changes taking effect on January 1, 2027. This bill directly affects district attorneys’ offices by setting enforceable staffing requirements, without altering legal procedures or creating new programs.

Maddy summaryHB 748 would exempt all Louisiana school board-owned vehicles from paying tolls on state-operated bridges, highways, and public ferries (excluding the Greater New Orleans Expressway). Currently, only school buses carrying students during specific hours have toll-free passage; this bill expands that exemption to cover any vehicle owned or operated by Louisiana school boards. The law would require the state to provide free passage for these vehicles over all public toll roads, bridges, and ferries managed by Louisiana. This change directly affects school districts by reducing operational costs for their vehicle fleets.

Maddy summaryThis Louisiana House resolution asks the Department of Conservation and Energy to conduct a comprehensive study on the state's financial responsibility for cleaning up oil and gas wells that are abandoned, inactive, or producing very little. The requested investigation aims to calculate the total cost of decommissioning these wells, identify funding sources to cover the state's share, and explore ways to reduce risks to taxpayers. The department must submit a detailed report by March 1, 2027, covering costs for both existing orphan wells and those likely to become orphaned, along with an analysis of why the number of abandoned wells has recently increased. This measure is designed to provide the legislature with data needed to develop future laws addressing the growing burden of well cleanup.

Maddy summaryThis resolution asks Louisiana's Department of Transportation and Development to investigate whether closing one of several nearby on-ramps to eastbound US Route 90 Business in New Orleans could reduce traffic congestion during weekday peak hours from 3:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The study will evaluate if limiting access during these times improves traffic flow and public safety without disrupting the corridor that connects downtown New Orleans to the West Bank. If the investigation finds a viable option, the department must submit a written report with its findings to the House Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works by March 1, 2027.

Maddy summaryThis resolution asks Louisiana's Department of Transportation and Development to study how to improve toll operations at the state's three major bridges. The study will specifically look at creating consistent toll signs, establishing a clear process for handling customer complaints, and setting up local service centers to help drivers and businesses. While the bill does not change current toll rates or laws, it directs the department to report back by February 2027 with recommendations on making these services more uniform and accessible.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates a specific stretch of Louisiana Highway 1090 in Slidell as the 'Louis 'Pat' Miramon Memorial Highway' to honor an individual. The law requires the Department of Transportation and Development to install signs marking this designation, but only if local or private funds cover the full cost of materials and installation. The bill does not change traffic rules or funding sources, as it relies on outside contributions to pay for the signage.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires courts to charge defendants an additional three-dollar fee, reduced to one dollar in smaller municipalities, to fund a trial court case management information system. The money collected is placed in a special state fund managed by the judicial administrator, which can only be used to develop and maintain computer systems that help judges, clerks, law enforcement, and other officials manage criminal and juvenile justice cases more efficiently. The bill also establishes the administrator's role in coordinating with policy boards and conducting compliance checks to ensure the fees are properly collected and spent.