SB 185 makes it illegal for agreements to prevent child sexual abuse victims from discussing or disclosing their abuse. The bill declares that any nondisclosure agreement involving such victims is unenforceable in court and against public policy. This directly affects victims in Louisiana by removing legal barriers to speaking about their experiences. The law ensures victims cannot be silenced through binding contracts, focusing solely on this specific policy change.
SB 195, the "Danny's Dose EMS Treatment Act," allows licensed EMTs, advanced EMTs, and paramedics to administer a patient's own time-critical prescription medications during emergencies. It specifically applies to patients with rare diseases, chronic illnesses, or special medical needs who request it, using only intranasal, intravenous, or intramuscular medications. The bill establishes commission protocols for this practice and grants immunity from liability for EMTs unless gross negligence occurs. This directly affects emergency medical personnel and patients requiring immediate access to their prescribed medications outside standard hospital settings.
SB 206 requires all Louisiana public school districts to conduct blood pressure screenings for students during the first semester or within 30 days of enrollment, following the American Academy of Pediatrics' recommended schedule. School boards must document results, follow up on abnormal readings within 60 days, and notify parents in writing if issues are found. This applies to public schools but exempts charter schools from the blood pressure screening requirement specifically (while they still follow other health screening rules). The bill aims to identify hypertension early in students through standardized school-based testing.
SB 218 requires Louisiana election officials - including registrars, chief deputy registrars, and confidential assistants - to complete certification through approved training programs. The bill mandates that such training must be provided by Auburn University's Certified Elections Registration Administrator Program or a substantially equivalent program approved by the State Board of Election Supervisors. Officials must complete courses required for certification or to maintain their certification status. This bill directly affects election administration staff by establishing mandatory certification standards for their roles. It becomes effective August 1, 2026.
SB 248 allows Louisiana election officials to close polling places in precincts with fewer than 20 eligible voters for any election. Instead, voters in these precincts must cast ballots at an alternative polling location within the same area. The bill also permits closing polling places if all eligible voters in a precinct have already voted absentee or during early voting. This directly affects small precincts with minimal voter turnout, shifting voting to nearby locations while requiring registrars of voters to make the determination. The law takes effect on February 1, 2027.
SB 235 modifies Louisiana's rules for payments between public entities (like cities or state agencies) and contractors. It prevents public entities from withholding payments to contractors for disputed pre-agreed penalties (liquidated damages), while still allowing the public entity to pursue those penalties separately. The bill requires timely payments for work completed, with penalties like court-ordered payment (mandamus), attorney fees, and interest if payments are delayed without good reason. It also clarifies that declaring a public works contract invalid doesn't cancel payments already owed for work performed, including overhead and profit. This directly affects contractors working on public projects by strengthening their right to receive timely payments under the contract terms.
SB 275 requires Louisiana health insurers to reimburse certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) at the same rate as physicians for identical services performed within a CRNA's scope of practice, regardless of billing codes. It also prohibits insurers from denying CRNAs network inclusion solely based on their provider type or licensure. The law applies to new insurance policies issued on or after January 1, 2027, and existing policies must comply by January 1, 2028. This directly affects insurers, CRNAs, and patients seeking anesthesia services covered under these plans.
SB 294 establishes an annual $5 million deduction for promotional play wagers in Louisiana gaming operations. It allows licensed casinos and gaming operators to assign unused portions of this deduction to other licensed operators (under Chapters 4, 5, or 7), with written reporting to the Louisiana Gaming Control Board. The bill amends definitions in gaming statutes to clarify how this deduction affects net gaming proceeds, gross revenue, and net slot machine proceeds calculations. This policy change directly affects licensed gaming operators by modifying how promotional play costs are accounted for in financial reporting.
SB 310, the "Signs of Hope Act," requires all public high school and college/university student health centers in Louisiana to display specific signs about pregnancy resources. The signs must read "Pregnant? Help Is Available for You and Your Baby!" with a website link to Louisiana Department of Health pregnancy resources, measure at least 16x20 inches, use large readable text, and include color graphics. These signs must be placed in patient admission areas, waiting rooms, and consultation rooms by health center staff. The Louisiana Department of Health designs the signs but may accept donated signs or use donated funds to cover costs, without requiring state funds.
SB 315 increases Louisiana's threshold for exempting professional service contracts from competitive bidding requirements from $1 million to $2 million. This means state agencies can award contracts for services like legal, consulting, or engineering work without competitive bidding if the estimated cost is $2 million or less. The bill directly affects state agencies when procuring these services and the contractors who provide them. It amends Louisiana Revised Statutes §38:2316 and takes effect upon gubernatorial approval.
SB 324 modifies Louisiana's Water Sector Program, which provides grant funding for repairs and improvements to community water and sewer systems. It establishes new rules for emergency grants (e.g., funding for systems under court-appointed management), requires the Water Sector Commission to submit priorities by September 2024, and mandates the Division of Administration to create guidance for grant applications and emergency funding by October 2024. The bill adds provisions allowing minor project adjustments without commission approval and requires grant recipients to comply with rate study requirements or face future funding ineligibility. It directly affects community water systems, local governing authorities, and the Water Sector Commission in administering these grants.
HB 300 increases the dollar thresholds at which Louisiana state banks must obtain a full appraisal for bank-owned properties instead of using internal evaluations. Specifically, it raises the residential threshold from $250,000 to $400,000 and maintains the commercial threshold at $500,000. This change directly affects state banks handling property acquisitions or valuations below these new limits, reducing their administrative burden for lower-value properties. The bill modifies existing law to align with updated market conditions while requiring appraisals for properties exceeding these thresholds every three years. It does not alter consumer protections or create new requirements beyond the specified valuation limits.
