Maddy summarySB 237 requires schools in Louisiana to immediately report allegations of physical or sexual abuse against school employees to the state Department of Education. It creates a database tracking these reports and mandates schools check this database before hiring new employees to identify potential patterns of abuse. The bill also requires the Department of Children and Family Services to notify the state child ombudsman within three business days of child abuse or neglect fatalities or near-fatalities, including specific details like prior department involvement. Additionally, it directs the child ombudsman to notify legislators within 24 hours of any child death linked to abuse or neglect investigations. These provisions directly affect schools, school employees, child welfare agencies, and state legislators.
Sponsored bills
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 933 creates commemorative birth certificates for display, available for a $50 fee paid to the state. The state registrar keeps $20 for administration, and $30 goes to the Office on Women’s Health and Community Health. These certificates must include security features to prevent fraud and carry the same legal weight as certified birth records. The bill directly affects individuals seeking commemorative documents and state offices managing vital records.
Maddy summaryHB 951 creates a new "Office of Talent Accelerator" within Louisiana Works to coordinate workforce development across state agencies and businesses. The office will map existing workforce programs, manage federal/state funding for high-demand jobs, assist businesses in accessing training resources, and develop industry-specific talent pipelines. It establishes a Business Workforce Committee (with majority business representatives) to advise the office, set performance metrics, and review annual plans. The bill explicitly excludes this office from standard state procurement rules, allowing flexible funding and contracting to support business workforce needs. This affects Louisiana businesses, workforce training programs, and state agencies involved in economic development.
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 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 summarySB 125 increases compensation for people wrongfully convicted in Louisiana. It raises the annual payment rate from $25,000 to $40,000 per year incarcerated, with a new maximum total of $600,000 starting August 1, 2026 (up from $400,000 previously). It also allows those convicted before July 2022 to apply for supplemental payments (up to $40,000 annually) by August 1, 2027, and offers a $250,000 lump sum option for new claims filed after July 2022. The bill directly affects Louisiana residents who were wrongfully imprisoned and seek financial redress under state law.
Maddy summarySB 341 creates the Louisiana Churches and Nonprofit Religious Organizations Self-Insured Fund, allowing eligible churches and nonprofits to form a shared insurance pool instead of purchasing private property insurance. It directly affects Louisiana religious organizations by enabling them to cover building damage, contents, liability, wind/hail, and loss of use through this collective fund. Key provisions require members to maintain positive net worth and financial solvency, define "property commercial coverage" to include specific protections, and direct the Louisiana State Law Institute to update related terminology. The bill establishes regulatory rules for the fund's operation under state oversight.
Maddy summaryThis concurrent resolution asks the Department of Conservation and Energy to form an Earthquake Task Force to study recent seismic activity in Red River, Bienville, Caddo, DeSoto, and Natchitoches parishes. The task force will include representatives from state agencies, the U.S. Geological Survey, universities, and local industries to develop a plan for a statewide seismic monitoring network. The group must submit its findings and recommendations to the legislature by February 1, 2027, after convening its first meeting in September 2026.