Maddy summarySB 43 establishes Louisiana's Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy Program within the Department of Health to fund clinical studies using psychedelic medications (like psilocybin) for treating opioid use disorders, co-occurring substance use disorders, and treatment-resistant mental health conditions. The program requires academic health centers to meet strict federal and state compliance standards - including FDA approval, safety protocols, and therapist qualifications - to conduct these studies. Eligible patients, including those with the specified conditions, may participate, and parishes can use opioid settlement funds to enroll residents. The bill mandates annual progress reports from participating centers and requires coordination with other states conducting similar research. This is a research-focused program, not a policy allowing general therapeutic use.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryHB 180 establishes new definitions and rules for private entities seeking to expropriate (take) property in Louisiana. It defines "foreign adversary" as entities listed in U.S. Treasury sanctions databases and "agent of a foreign adversary" as an entity controlled by such entities (e.g., through ownership or profit-sharing). The bill directly affects private companies or organizations, particularly those linked to foreign adversaries, by requiring them to meet these definitions before proceeding with property expropriation. The key provision mandates that private entities must comply with these definitions as a prerequisite for any expropriation action, aligning Louisiana law with federal sanctions frameworks. (Based on R.S. 9:2717.1.1, prefiling stage as of 2026-02-18.)
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 summaryThis bill urges the U.S. Congress and the United States Forest Service to permit the use of dogs for hunting within the Kisatchie National Forest. It also requests that the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries collaborate with the Forest Service to ensure this hunting practice is conducted safely and sustainably. The legislation does not create new laws but serves as a formal recommendation to federal and state agencies regarding hunting regulations in the specified forest area.
Maddy summarySB 333 strengthens the role of caregivers (including relatives, foster parents, or nonrelatives with physical custody) in Louisiana child welfare court cases. It requires courts to notify caregivers of hearings, consider their input on child safety, placement stability, and attachment, and grant "limited participatory status" if they've provided care for six months. This status allows caregivers to testify about permanency needs but doesn't make them legal parties. The bill also clarifies that completing case services doesn't automatically lead to reunification unless underlying risks to the child are eliminated.
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 sets specific limits on how many legislative proposals individual lawmakers can submit during a single annual session. It restricts non-committee leaders to ten prefiled bills, while committee vice chairs and chairs are allowed up to twelve and fifteen bills, respectively. The legislation also caps the number of resolutions a member can introduce at ten, excluding routine or perfunctory items. Certain essential bills, such as those for state appropriations and capital projects, are exempt from these counting limits to ensure critical funding measures can be proposed without restriction.
Maddy summaryThis bill creates the Child Permanency Task Force to study how to improve safety and achieve timely permanent homes for children in Louisiana's foster care system. The task force will examine specific issues such as legal delays, court procedures, and the rights of parents and foster caregivers to recommend changes to laws, court rules, and agency policies. The group will be made up of representatives from various judicial bodies, child welfare agencies, legal services organizations, and former foster youth. Members will serve without pay and must submit their final report with recommendations to the state legislature by February 1, 2027.
Maddy summaryHB 1253, known as the Gracey Claire Rushing Act, updates Louisiana laws to improve how coroners document and handle human remains and internal organs. The bill requires detailed autopsy reports that include specific personal information, medical findings, and a record of any retained organs, while keeping these reports private except for law enforcement or court orders. Family members and the decedent's physician are granted the right to receive a copy of the report upon request. The legislation is named in memory of a child whose death in 2009 prompted calls for better safeguards in the treatment of remains.
Maddy summaryThis Louisiana concurrent resolution asks the U.S. Congress and the Trump administration to pass the Major Richard Star Act, which aims to help combat-wounded service members who have been medically retired. The bill seeks to remove a current rule that reduces military retirement pay by the same amount as disability compensation from the Veterans Affairs, allowing veterans to keep both benefits in full. Although the resolution expresses strong support for this change, it is a formal request rather than a law that directly alters federal policy itself.