HB 370 increases the assessment rate for Louisiana's Grain and Cotton Indemnity Fund from 0.04% to 0.08% on the value of regulated agricultural commodities sold to grain dealers and cotton merchants. The bill requires these dealers to pay the assessment at the first point of sale to the state commission. This directly affects grain and cotton dealers who handle regulated commodities in Louisiana, as they will pay a higher fee on each transaction. The change aims to bolster the fund, which provides financial assistance to farmers when crop losses occur due to natural disasters. The bill does not alter eligibility for fund benefits or the fund's purpose.
HB 285 allows Louisiana high school boards to partner with credit unions to operate on-site branches at high schools. The bill requires these branches to be integrated into the state-mandated financial literacy course (R.S. 17:270), giving students hands-on experience managing personal finances. School boards must establish rules for outside use of buildings, including fees, under this new partnership framework. The policy directly affects high school students, school boards, and credit unions by embedding practical financial education into existing coursework.
HB 315 prohibits employers from including noncompete clauses in contracts or agreements with interns (paid or unpaid) or apprentices. The bill directly affects these workers by preventing employers from restricting them from working in similar jobs after their internship or apprenticeship ends. Key provisions explicitly ban any contract term that restrains an intern or apprentice from engaging in business or employment comparable to their employer’s. This policy change ensures interns and apprentices retain freedom to pursue similar work opportunities without legal restrictions imposed during their training period. The bill aims to protect trainees from unfair limitations on future employment options.
HB 691 requires Louisiana’s secretary of state to annually check all registered voters against the federal SAVE system (which verifies citizenship for benefits) before federal elections. It mandates that potential noncitizen registrations identified through this check be investigated by the Division of Election Integrity, with findings sent to prosecutors. If confirmed noncitizens, their voter registrations may be challenged by parish registrars under existing law. The bill also requires annual reports to the legislature detailing checks performed, challenges issued, and cancellations, while requiring secure handling of voter data per state and federal standards. This procedural bill directly affects Louisiana voters whose citizenship is verified through this system.
HB 550 increases pay for Louisiana parish board commissioners who serve during elections. It sets specific daily compensation rates: $150 for elections with high early voting (approved by the secretary of state), $50 for regular elections, and $100 during emergency election periods (with special approval). The bill directly affects commissioners working election day, ballot counting, or recounts. It requires parish election supervisors to apply for secretary of state approval to use the higher rates, ensuring pay aligns with election complexity.
HB 661 allows Louisiana school boards to hire immediate family members of board members or superintendents as paraprofessionals or custodians, provided the family member meets the standard job requirements for those roles. The bill requires school board members or superintendents with family members in these positions to recuse themselves from decisions about that employee’s promotion or assignment. It directly affects school boards, superintendents, and their immediate family members seeking these specific school support roles. The law modifies existing ethics rules to create this limited exception while maintaining oversight through recusal. This is a policy change to school hiring practices, not a broader legislative action.
HB 834 sets standards for animal shelters in Louisiana handling lost, stray, or unclaimed domestic animals. It requires shelters to follow a 72-hour minimum hold period, make two reasonable attempts to locate owners (including microchip scans 24 hours apart), and maintain records. Shelters may acquire ownership of unclaimed animals after the hold period if they’ve made diligent owner-locating efforts, but cannot disclose transferee contact information without consent or a subpoena. The bill applies to designated shelters (public or private entities) and does not compel municipalities to create shelters or override existing laws about animal ownership.
HB 808 (Louisiana) amends criminal law to define and penalize intentional HIV exposure without consent. It makes it a crime to knowingly transmit HIV through sexual contact, sharing needles without consent, or other contact posing a "substantial likelihood of transmission" (defined as contact with blood, semen, or vaginal fluid with significant medical risk). The bill specifies higher penalties for exposing first responders (fines up to $6,000, 11 years imprisonment) and includes affirmative defenses if the victim knew of the HIV status and consented, or if medical advice confirmed non-infectious status with disclosure. It also explicitly classifies this offense as a "sex offense" under Louisiana law for sentencing purposes. The bill does not criminalize low-risk conduct, as clarified in Section E.
SB 397 establishes rules for filling vacancies in elected offices when an official retires, resigns, or is removed. It prohibits the retired, resigned, or removed official from being appointed to or running for the same office again, with certain exceptions not detailed in the text. The bill specifically excludes judgeships, noting that constitutional authority for judicial appointments remains unaffected. This bill focuses on procedural vacancy rules for non-judicial elected positions, not on substantive policy changes.
HB 506 creates special license plates for specific Louisiana high schools (including Lafayette High, Carencro High, and others) and establishes a new "blackout" plate design. The blackout plate requires 1,000 applicants, features a black background with a blue line symbolizing fallen officers, and charges a $25 annual fee (with $24 going to the Louisiana Fraternal Order of Police charity). Louisiana drivers can apply for these plates like standard licenses, with fees covering administrative costs and funding police-related charities. The bill standardizes design rules, fees, and distribution for all special plates.
HB 338 re-creates 16 regulatory boards (including the Louisiana Real Estate Commission and Cosmetology Board) that were previously transferred to the governor's office, effective June 30, 2026. These agencies will automatically terminate on July 1, 2033, unless renewed under existing law before that date. The bill amends Louisiana's sunset law to set this specific termination date for these entities, replacing prior sunset provisions. It directly affects the operations of these boards, which regulate professions like real estate, cosmetology, and motor vehicles. The law ensures these agencies continue functioning until 2033 without requiring annual legislative approval.
HB 413 prohibits Louisiana auto insurers from using rating factors in their rate filings that are based solely on losses from natural disasters or catastrophes affecting other insurance lines (like property insurance). This directly affects auto insurance customers and insurers in Louisiana by preventing rate increases tied to events like hurricanes that only impacted other policies. The bill allows insurers to use such factors only in multi-line policies covering both auto and other insurance types. The law takes effect on January 1, 2027.
