SB 98 amends Louisiana law to expand the definition of "educator" to include school resource officers and security guards, in addition to existing roles like teachers and coaches. This change means the prohibition on sexual conduct between an educator and a student will now apply to these additional school staff members. The bill directly affects school security personnel and resource officers by bringing them under this legal protection, while extending coverage to students who interact with them. The amendment will take effect on August 1, 2026.
SB 96 creates a special "Fallen Heroes" license plate for Louisiana motor vehicles, requiring at least 1,000 applicants to activate the plate. It mandates an annual $25 fee (plus a $3.50 handling fee) for the plate, collected by the state motor vehicle department. The $25 fee is specifically directed to the Capital Area Law Enforcement Foundation to purchase bulletproof vests for Louisiana peace officers. This is a procedural bill focused on license plate design, fee collection, and fund allocation, with no other substantive policy changes.
SB 87 clarifies and standardizes the definition of "commercial sexual activity" across Louisiana's human trafficking and child trafficking laws. It defines this term as any sexual act performed when something of value (like money or goods) is exchanged, including the creation or sharing of child sexual abuse materials. This change directly affects law enforcement and prosecutors handling trafficking cases by creating a consistent legal standard for charging offenses under both R.S. 14:46.2 and 14:46.3. The bill ensures the same definition applies to both adult human trafficking and child trafficking for sexual purposes, removing potential ambiguity in prosecution.
SB 104 designates a specific segment of Louisiana Highway 1 in Pointe Coupee Parish (from the intersection with Highway 78 to the Pointe Coupee Parish line) as the "Ernest J. Gaines Memorial Highway" to honor the renowned author. The bill requires the state transportation department to install signage only if local or private funds cover the costs (capped at $750 per sign for materials and installation). This is a commemorative measure with no substantive policy changes, directly affecting the designated highway corridor and its signage. The bill is currently in the prefiling stage and has not yet been voted on.
SB 118 requires courts to screen all misdemeanor DUI offenders (first and second offenses) for substance use disorder risk as part of probation conditions. It mandates using evidence-based screening tools validated for impaired driving, with results kept confidential and shared directly with the court, prosecutors, and defense counsel. If screening indicates risk, courts may order a full assessment by a licensed clinician to determine if a substance use disorder diagnosis exists. This policy applies to both first and second offense DUI cases under Louisiana law, focusing on early intervention rather than altering penalties.
SB 110 makes it illegal to use an image of a child under 17 to train artificial intelligence models with the intent of generating child sexual abuse materials (CSAM). The bill directly affects AI developers and companies working with training data involving children's images. Key provisions add new language to Louisiana law defining the offense (Section A(3)) and expanding the definition of "child sexual abuse materials" to include AI-generated images of children (Section B(3)). This law specifically prohibits using real or AI-created child images for AI training that could produce CSAM, without requiring the depicted child to be a real person.
SB 103 names a section of U.S. Highway 425 in Wisner, Louisiana (from the northern to southern city limits in Franklin Parish) as "Gladys Edwards Highway." It requires the Louisiana Department of Transportation to install and maintain signs for this designation, but only if local or private funds cover the department's actual costs for materials and installation - capped at $750 per sign. This is a ceremonial bill with no policy changes to transportation funding or infrastructure. The bill is currently pending referral to the Transportation Committee.
SB 160 designates a specific segment of U.S. Highway 171 in Florien, Louisiana (from the northern to southern village limits in Sabine Parish) as "Joe R. Salter Memorial Highway." The bill requires the Louisiana Department of Transportation to install and maintain signage for this designation only if local or private funds cover the department's actual costs for materials and installation, with a maximum cost of $750 per sign. This is a purely commemorative measure with no policy changes affecting residents, businesses, or state funding beyond the signage costs. The bill has been prefaced and referred to the Transportation Committee but has not yet advanced further.
SB 159 designates a specific segment of Louisiana Highway 17 in Franklin Parish (from Lawson Road to Highway 4) as the "Deputy Roy Gonzales Memorial Highway." The bill requires the Department of Transportation to install signs for this designation only if local or private funds cover the costs (up to $750 per sign) for materials and installation. This is a ceremonial memorial bill with no policy changes or direct impact on residents or regulations; it solely honors Deputy Roy Gonzales through highway naming.
SB 182 designates a specific segment of U.S. Highway 425 in Franklin Parish, Louisiana (from Winnsboro's northern to southern city limits) as the "Mayor Billy Cobb Memorial Highway." The bill requires the Louisiana Department of Transportation to install and maintain signage for this designation only if local or private funds cover the actual costs (up to $2,250 per sign). This is a commemorative measure honoring Mayor Billy Cobb, with no new funding or policy changes for the public. It directly affects the highway segment and the department's signage procedures.
HB 938 requires pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) in Louisiana to reimburse pharmacies at the National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC) plus a standard dispensing fee for all prescriptions, regardless of whether the pharmacy is independent or affiliated with the PBM. It prohibits PBMs from retaining rebates from drug manufacturers, mandating that all rebates be passed through to health plan sponsors as lower premiums, reduced patient costs, or broader coverage. The bill also limits payment errors to a 2% rate for prescription claims, establishes a formal appeal process for pharmacies disputing underpayments, and grants state regulators access to PBM data for oversight. This directly affects Louisiana pharmacies, PBMs, and health plans by standardizing payments, increasing transparency, and reducing financial disputes.
HB 631 establishes a new $100 nonresident landowner bear hunting license in Louisiana, specifically for nonresidents who own land where bear hunting occurs. This bill adds the license as a new category (subsection 9) under existing nonresident hunting license fees in state law. It directly affects nonresident landowners who wish to hunt bears on their property without purchasing a standard nonresident license. The key provision is the creation of this dedicated license type with a fixed $100 fee, streamlining the process for this specific group of hunters.
