Rep. Daryl Deshotel

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the Louisiana Department of Health to conduct a study identifying gaps in acute healthcare access for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The legislation also establishes a committee to oversee this study, which will include representatives from the House and Senate, as well as one member appointed by the Senate president. The primary goal is to gather data on where and how these individuals face barriers in receiving timely medical care. Once the study is complete, the department is required to submit a report detailing its findings to the legislature.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates a specific stretch of United States Highway 165 in Oberlin, Louisiana, as the "Kulyn Brooks Manuel Memorial Highway" to honor an individual. The legislation directs the state Department of Transportation and Development to install and maintain signs for this new name, provided the department recovers its material and installation costs from local or private funding sources. The act limits the reimbursement for each sign to a maximum of $2,250 and applies only to the section of the road running between the northern and southern boundaries of the town.

Maddy summaryThis 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.

Maddy summaryHB 584 requires Louisiana's local social services districts to provide foster children aged 14-18 with durable, reusable luggage (such as backpacks, boxes, or suitcases) instead of garbage bags when they move between foster homes. This policy change directly affects youth in foster care by ensuring their belongings are transported safely and with dignity. The bill explicitly prohibits the use of garbage bags for this purpose and defines the responsibility of social services districts to provide the required luggage. It amends Louisiana law to guarantee this specific right for older foster youth during placement transitions.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a Task Force on Blockchain and Digital Innovation to study and report on developments in these technologies. The legislation directly affects the secretary of state, who is tasked with leading or overseeing the task force's work. Key provisions include setting the task force's operational timeline and explicitly assigning the secretary of state as the responsible official. Recent amendments adjust specific dates within the bill and clarify the secretary of state's role in the process.

Maddy summaryHB 917 updates Louisiana's licensing rules for life safety and property protection professionals, such as fire alarm technicians and security installers. It creates new exemptions for administrative staff who don't visit client sites and remote employees of licensed firms who pass private background checks. The bill also standardizes licensing fees (e.g., $1,200 initial firm fee, $300 per employee endorsement) and requires criminal background checks for all applicants, with costs borne by the applicant. These changes directly affect security companies, fire protection businesses, and their employees seeking or maintaining state licenses.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Louisiana parish tax collectors to submit annual reports to the state Tax Commission detailing ad valorem tax collections for the previous year. The reports must list the actual tax amounts collected on all taxable property within each parish, broken down by property categories. The Tax Commission will then include this data in its regular reports, providing total collection amounts by parish for each property type. This change affects parish tax collectors who must file the reports by January 31 and the Tax Commission which will incorporate the data into its existing reporting. The bill aims to improve transparency in how property taxes are collected across Louisiana parishes.

Maddy summarySB 307 would authorize the display of the Ten Commandments as a historical monument on Louisiana State Capitol grounds, alongside other documents like the Mayflower Compact and the Declaration of Independence. The bill requires that such displays include context documents explaining their historical significance to the legal and cultural heritage of Louisiana and the U.S., and mandates that private donations fund the monument without state cost. It references Supreme Court rulings (Van Orden v. Perry and American Legion v. American Humanists Association) that permit religious historical displays on government property when privately funded. The commissioner of administration would oversee the installation, with the bill explicitly prohibiting state funding for the monument.

Maddy summaryHB 288 requires healthcare providers in Louisiana to include "miscarriage" in parentheses after "spontaneous abortion" in all medical records and billing documentation. This bill directly affects hospitals, clinics, and medical billing entities regulated under Louisiana law. The key provision mandates this terminology change for consistency in clinical records and billing systems, using plain language to clarify the medical term "spontaneous abortion" (referring to early pregnancy loss). The bill is procedural, focusing solely on standardizing medical documentation terminology without altering healthcare services or patient rights.

Maddy summaryHB 354 renames the Magnolia Bridge (on Louisiana Highway 64 over the Amite River between East Baton Rouge and Livingston Parishes) as the "Caleb Easterling Memorial Bridge." The bill requires the Department of Transportation to install signage reflecting this name, with costs covered by local or private funds not exceeding $750 per sign. This is a purely commemorative measure with no policy changes or direct impact on residents or services.