HB 494 prohibits the permitting of carbon dioxide sequestration projects within St. Helena Parish, Louisiana. It directly affects any entity seeking to develop or operate carbon storage facilities in that parish by requiring the state secretary to deny all related permits. The bill amends state law (R.S. 30:1104(F)) to explicitly state that no carbon sequestration activities may be permitted there, overriding other conflicting laws. This is a direct policy change blocking a specific type of industrial activity in a defined geographic area.
HB 328 prohibits students from carrying firearms in college or university dormitory rooms in Louisiana. The bill amends existing law to clarify that even when exceptions allow firearm possession for specific activities (like firearms classes or ROTC), students cannot keep firearms in their dorm rooms. This directly affects all students living in on-campus housing, making dormitories firearm-free zones. The key provision explicitly removes any allowance for firearm possession within dormitory rooms, regardless of other permitted uses on campus.
HB 498 gives Beauregard Parish's governing authority (the Police Jury) the power to ban carbon dioxide sequestration projects and pipelines transporting carbon dioxide within the parish through a local resolution or ordinance. The bill requires the parish to notify the state Department of Conservation and Energy of any such ban, which would override state permits or approvals for these projects. It directly affects Beauregard Parish residents, landowners, and potential energy developers by allowing local control over these specific infrastructure projects. The law is limited to Beauregard Parish and does not apply to other parishes in Louisiana.
HB 497 gives Vernon Parish’s governing authority (the Police Jury) the power to prohibit carbon dioxide sequestration projects, carbon dioxide storage wells, and pipelines transporting carbon dioxide within the parish. It allows the parish to ban these projects through a local resolution, overriding any state permits or approvals that conflict with the parish’s decision. The bill requires the parish to notify the state Department of Conservation and Energy of its prohibition, which becomes effective immediately upon adoption. This directly affects residents and businesses in Vernon Parish, as well as companies seeking to build or operate CO2 infrastructure there.
HB 504 authorizes Sabine Parish's governing authority (the Police Jury) to prohibit Class VI carbon dioxide injection wells, carbon dioxide sequestration projects, and pipelines transporting carbon dioxide within the parish. The bill gives Sabine Parish the power to block these projects through a local resolution or ordinance, overriding state permitting authority. It requires the parish to notify the state Department of Conservation and Energy of any prohibition and ensures such local decisions supersede conflicting state permits or approvals. This directly affects residents and developers in Sabine Parish by allowing the parish to decide whether carbon dioxide infrastructure can be built there.
HB 517 would change Louisiana juvenile court procedures by granting juveniles the right to a jury trial if charged with specific serious offenses. It directly affects minors facing felony-level delinquency charges classified as either "crimes of violence" (per R.S. 14:2(B)) or "sex offenses" (per R.S. 15:541) in juvenile court. The bill modifies existing law to extend this constitutional right - previously unavailable in juvenile proceedings - to these particular cases, while maintaining jury trials as optional for other juvenile matters. The legislation aims to align juvenile court processes with constitutional protections for defendants facing the most severe charges.
HB 778 regulates kratom in Louisiana by banning possession, production, and distribution of natural kratom products (defined as substances from *Mitragyna speciosa* leaves or containing 7-hydroxymitragynine/mitragynine). It sets penalties based on quantity: fines up to $50,000 and up to 5 years in prison for large-scale distribution, while small personal possession (under 20g) incurs minor fines. The bill also targets synthetic kratom derivatives by prohibiting products exceeding specific chemical limits (e.g., >2% 7-hydroxymitragynine per serving) or containing synthetically altered compounds, with stricter penalties for synthetic products. This directly affects anyone selling, producing, or possessing kratom products in Louisiana. The bill is pending legislative action as of its 2026 filing.
HB 5 gives Louisiana parishes the authority to decide whether carbon dioxide storage wells, carbon dioxide sequestration projects, and pipelines transporting carbon dioxide may operate within their borders. Parishes can either pass a local resolution banning these activities or hold a parish-wide election (triggered by a 15% voter petition) where a majority vote determines approval or prohibition. The bill requires the state Department of Conservation and Energy to comply with these local decisions, overriding any existing state permits or approvals. This directly affects parish governments and residents, shifting permitting authority from the state to local communities for these specific energy infrastructure projects.
HB 6 gives Rapides Parish local control over carbon dioxide projects by allowing its governing authority (the Police Jury) to prohibit Class VI injection wells, carbon dioxide sequestration, and CO2 pipelines within the parish through a resolution or ordinance. If the parish adopts such a prohibition, the state cannot issue permits for these activities, overriding any existing state approvals or applications. This law directly affects residents, businesses, and energy companies operating in Rapides Parish by shifting permitting authority from the state to the local government.
This bill is a resolution that asks the state legislative auditor to study the salaries and other pay for parish assessors and clerks of court in Louisiana. The study will examine how these officials are currently paid, compare their compensation levels, and look for ways to make the pay structures more fair and easier to understand. To gather information, the auditor will consult with professional associations representing these officials and must submit a report with its findings and suggestions to lawmakers by May 2027. This measure does not change any laws or pay amounts immediately but instead initiates a review to inform future decisions about compensation.
HB 1255 amends specific sections of the Louisiana zoning and building code to adjust which violations are subject to enforcement. The bill directly affects local governments and property owners by modifying the list of zoning and subdivision rule breaches that can be legally pursued. Its primary mechanism involves deleting certain existing legal references and inserting new ones to redefine the scope of enforceable restrictions. This change alters the legal framework for how local authorities address violations of land use and construction regulations.
SB 517 updates the governance rules for the Baton Rouge North Economic Development District by establishing a nine-member board of commissioners. The bill specifies that these members will be appointed by various local officials, including state representatives, senators, and the mayor-president of East Baton Rouge, with some seats rotating every other year. It also sets term limits, requiring members to serve two-year terms with a maximum cumulative service of four years, and outlines procedures for filling vacancies.
