Rep. Ryan Bourriaque

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 1193 amends the state's laws governing construction contracts to allow for a specific type of agreement known as an indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract. This change enables government entities to enter into contracts where the exact amount of work or materials needed is not defined at the start, allowing for flexibility in future project needs. The bill removes certain previous exemptions and reorganizes the text of the relevant statutes to accommodate these new contracting options. Directly affected parties include state agencies and contractors who may utilize this method for managing construction projects.

Maddy summaryHB 776 updates Louisiana's Port Construction and Development Priority Program. It requires port authorities to provide local matching funds (10% for standard projects, 20% for large, 30% for very large) before state funds from the Transportation Trust Fund can be used. The bill also modifies how the department contracts with entities like LSU's Ports Institute for project evaluation and mandates quarterly public hearings for project prioritization. Projects not funded in one year retain their priority and carry forward to the next fiscal year, with the legislature prohibited from adding new projects to the approved list.

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 807 establishes a special fund within Louisiana's state treasury to support the Community and Technical College System's workforce training programs. It directly affects community colleges and private-sector employers in high-demand industries like healthcare, manufacturing, and information technology by providing funding to hire more instructors and expand training capacity. Key provisions include using the fund for rapid-response instructor deployment, recruitment incentives, temporary instructors, and salary supplements - while prohibiting these funds from replacing existing state higher education funding. The program requires annual reporting to legislative committees on fund usage, supported industries, and credentials awarded.

Maddy summaryHB 718 limits liability for private landowners who allow free aeronautical activities (like recreational flying) on their land at nonpublic use airports. It protects landowners from lawsuits for injuries caused by land defects, unless they acted maliciously or failed to warn about known dangers. The law applies to all recreational aeronautical use, whether the landowner charges a fee or not, but does not relieve users from their duty to exercise reasonable care. Landowners remain liable only for intentional harm or willful failure to warn about hazards they knew about.

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 summaryHB 205 increases pay for Louisiana election day workers, directly affecting commissioners who serve at polling places. It sets new compensation rates: $350 for a commissioner-in-charge, $345 for those managing multiple precincts, $100 for certified commissioners, $230 for others with certification, and $35 for uncertified staff. The bill also allows an additional $100 per day during emergencies declared by the governor, upon parish board request. The changes take effect January 1, 2027, and apply to all election day work and required training.

Maddy summaryHB 1157 authorizes funding for infrastructure projects within the Department of Transportation and Development, directly impacting the entities that receive these resources. The bill includes several technical amendments that adjust legal phrasing, renumber specific clauses, and modify the duration of certain obligations from "Perpetual" to "Maintain perpetual." These changes refine the administrative structure and language of the funding provisions without altering the core purpose of providing financial support for transportation initiatives.

Maddy summaryHB 606 modifies Louisiana's highway regulations to clarify rules for personal delivery devices (like automated delivery robots). The bill defines these devices as lightweight, slow-moving (max 20 mph, under 500 lbs), automated vehicles designed for transporting goods in pedestrian or nonpedestrian areas. Key changes include removing the requirement for nighttime lights, allowing operation in pedestrian zones and nonpedestrian areas (up to 20 mph), and requiring devices to yield to pedestrians like bicycles. The bill also states these devices have the same legal rights as pedestrians/bicyclists (where feasible) and gives local governments authority to regulate them for public safety. This directly affects businesses using delivery robots and local authorities managing public spaces.