HB 687 would authorize the Port of New Orleans to use public-private partnerships for constructing the St. Bernard Transportation Corridor roadway project. This bill directly affects the Port of New Orleans and private contractors by allowing them to partner on funding and building the specific roadway project. The key provision removes barriers to using private sector investment and expertise for this infrastructure development. The bill passed the House on May 19, 2025, and is now in the Senate.
HB 226 allocates $100,000 annually from East Baton Rouge Parish's Enhancement Fund for urban mass transit in the parish, requiring these funds to supplement - never replace - existing transit funding. Another $100,000 annually must go to the Baton Rouge Sports Foundation, but cannot be used to pay the salary or benefits of Visit Baton Rouge's executive director for tourism promotion. The remaining funds in the Enhancement Fund are directed to the Riverside Centroplex Arena and Exhibition Center, with unspent balances rolling over to the next fiscal year.
HB 107 creates a designated economic development district within the city of St. Martinville, Louisiana. This procedural bill establishes the framework for a specific district to support local economic growth initiatives. The bill does not detail specific tax incentives, development requirements, or direct impacts on residents or businesses, as the provided context lacks those details. It is a technical measure to formally define the district's existence, with minor grammatical amendments (changing "finance" to "financing") noted in the text.
HB 202 requires Louisiana public colleges and universities to offer students a voluntary privacy waiver form. This form allows students to authorize their institution to share specific mental health crisis information - such as the nature of the crisis, actions taken (e.g., counseling referrals), and follow-up care recommendations - with designated contacts (like parents or guardians) during a mental health emergency where the student poses a risk to themselves or others. The waiver explicitly states that specific diagnoses or treatment details will not be shared without additional authorization, and students can revoke consent in writing at any time. The policy applies directly to all students at Louisiana’s public postsecondary institutions and their chosen contacts, while maintaining compliance with federal and state privacy laws.
HB 298 requires the lessee of the Convention Center Headquarters Hotel Project (a new hotel connected to New Orleans' convention center) to pay annual "payments in lieu of taxes" based on a calculated rate. These payments start at 45% of a defined base rate in the first year after opening, increasing to 65% in year two, 85% in year three, and 100% in year four and beyond. The bill also mandates similar tax payment requirements for other private-public developments on authority-owned land, ensuring private entities pay either ad valorem taxes on improvements or equivalent annual payments calculated using local tax rates and property values.
HB 279 requires all student organizations at Louisiana colleges and universities to provide annual anti-hazing education to members, prospective members, and volunteers. The bill mandates organizations adopt their institution's hazing prevention policy - including sanctions for hazing incidents - and deliver at least one hour of hazing prevention education each year through in-person or digital methods. Organizations must submit annual reports verifying participation, and institutions may terminate non-compliant groups, reporting terminations to education committees. This directly affects campus student organizations, not individual students or faculty. The legislation focuses on preventing hazing through mandatory education and institutional accountability.
HB 210 requires pharmacies and state agencies participating in the prescription monitoring program to retain all records for the time specified in official retention schedules and obtain approval from the state archivist before destroying any records. The bill adds new provisions (R.S. 40:1006(H)) mandating these retention and destruction protocols, aligning with existing state record management laws (R.S. 44:411). It directly affects pharmacies, health agencies, and state departments handling prescription data by establishing clear, enforceable record-keeping requirements. The legislation focuses on ensuring long-term accessibility of prescription monitoring records for oversight purposes.
HB 137 expands telehealth access for emergency mental health evaluations in Louisiana by authorizing psychologists and medical psychologists to issue emergency certificates after a video conference exam. The bill requires a licensed healthcare professional to be physically present with the patient during the telehealth session to assist with necessary assessments. It directly affects patients needing immediate mental health or substance use disorder care who qualify as dangerous to self/others or gravely disabled. The law ensures patients receive medical clearance before admission to a treatment facility, maintaining safety standards while broadening provider eligibility for telehealth evaluations.
HB 560 contains only minor editorial corrections to an existing Medicaid integrity law, such as fixing spelling ("judgement" to "judgment") and punctuation. It does not create new policies or affect any specific groups. The bill solely amends technical language within the "Medical Assistance Programs Integrity Act" without changing program requirements or eligibility. This is a procedural bill focused on grammatical accuracy, not substantive policy.
HB 525 is a procedural bill that establishes the Uterine Fibroids Commission. It specifies that commission members appointed by the governor must undergo Senate confirmation (per Amendment No. 5) and adjusts appointment procedures through other technical amendments (Amendments 1-4, 6-7). The bill does not outline substantive policy changes or direct impacts on patients or providers; it solely addresses the commission's organizational structure and appointment process. As a procedural measure, it affects only the administrative setup of the commission, not healthcare services or regulations.
HB 216 requires the Board of Ethics to broadcast and record its meetings publicly. This directly affects the Board of Ethics by mandating transparency in its proceedings. The bill's key provision is the requirement for live broadcasting and official recording of all Board meetings, with the rule taking effect January 1, 2026. The bill focuses on procedural transparency without altering substantive ethics rules.
HB 177 defines the election districts for justice of the peace courts and constables in Iberville Parish, Louisiana. It specifies which precincts belong to each of the six justice of the peace districts (e.g., District 1 covers Precincts 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7). The bill establishes these boundaries using 2025 precinct maps based on 2020 census data, ensuring they remain unchanged even if precincts are later subdivided. This directly affects voters and candidates in Iberville Parish for the 2026 elections and subsequent terms.
