SB 65 establishes a formal voting process for converting existing public schools into charter schools in Louisiana. It requires approval from both the school's certified faculty/staff (simple majority of eligible employees) and parents/guardians of enrolled students (simple majority of eligible voters with at least 50% turnout) before conversion. The bill mandates secret ballots for both groups, defines eligibility criteria for voters, and directs the State Board of Education to create rules ensuring fair and transparent elections. This directly affects current public school staff, parents of enrolled students, and the State Board, which must implement the new election procedures. The bill does not change student eligibility for charter schools but sets clear procedural requirements for conversion approvals.
HB 507 repeals Louisiana's existing civil liability caps for carbon dioxide storage facilities and transmission pipelines. It removes limits on damages that could be claimed in lawsuits against owners or operators of these facilities. This change directly affects companies handling CO2 for storage or transport, as they would no longer benefit from pre-set damage caps in court cases. The bill makes no new policy provisions but alters the legal liability framework for these specific energy infrastructure operations.
Withdrawn prior to introduction.
This bill creates the New Orleans Hospitality and Entertainment District, a new political subdivision covering all of Orleans Parish, to coordinate economic and community development efforts. The district will be governed by a ten-member board of commissioners that includes representatives from major tourism and hospitality organizations plus four residents appointed by the mayor who must own or operate tourism-related businesses. Key provisions allow the district to levy taxes and special assessments, issue bonds for financing, create subdistricts, and enter cooperative agreements with the city, state, and property owners to improve tourism infrastructure, public safety, sanitation, and entertainment facilities within designated hospitality zones.
This legislative resolution asks the Department of Conservation and Energy to review the rules for licensing water well drillers in Louisiana. The study will examine whether current requirements, such as needing two years of drilling experience and two professional references, create unnecessary barriers for new applicants. The department must submit its findings to the House Committee on Natural Resources and Environment by the start of the 2027 legislative session. This bill does not change any laws immediately but instead directs an official review of existing regulations to determine if modifications are needed.
This bill updates Louisiana's bail laws by adding specific factors judges must consider when setting bail amounts, including the presumption of innocence and the type of bail available. It also clarifies how bail can be modified, allowing courts to increase or reduce bail based on good cause, such as if a defendant is rearrested while out on bail. The legislation requires that motions to reduce bail be heard within 30 days unless there is a valid reason to delay. These changes directly affect judges, prosecutors, defendants, and their legal representatives in the criminal justice process.
This bill establishes legal protections for individuals and businesses that unknowingly deposit a paper check after it has already been processed through mobile deposit systems. It defines specific requirements for financial institutions to verify check authenticity, including checking for restrictive endorsements and validating government-issued identification. The legislation creates an indemnity system where banks that accept checks via mobile deposit must compensate customers who suffer financial losses from duplicate check presentations. Additionally, the bill clarifies jurisdictional rules for nonresident banks involved in these transactions and outlines the conditions under which a person is considered a good faith holder of a check.
SB 328, the "Louisiana Living Donor Paid Leave Protection Act," requires Louisiana state employers to provide up to 30 working days of paid leave for full-time employees (with at least 12 months of service) who donate organs like kidneys, livers, or bone marrow. Private employers must offer up to 30 days of unpaid leave for organ donation, with the option to provide paid leave and claim a 25% tax credit for the first 30 days of paid salary. The bill prohibits employers from firing, demoting, or discriminating against employees who take this leave and mandates physician verification for leave requests. This law applies to living organ donors (including bone marrow donors) and ensures leave is in addition to other existing benefits like medical or vacation time.
HB 734 creates Louisiana's "A.I. Bill of Rights," granting residents specific protections regarding artificial intelligence use. It requires AI companies to disclose when users interact with AI systems, prohibits unauthorized use of names/images/likeliness, and restricts "companion chatbots" (AI systems designed to mimic human relationships) from minors. The bill also mandates data privacy safeguards for personal information collected by AI companies and allows consumers to pursue civil lawsuits for violations. These provisions directly affect Louisiana residents, AI technology companies, and state agencies (which are barred from contracting with certain foreign AI entities).
HB 252 redirects 100% of severance tax revenue from small-volume oil and gas wells (known as "stripper wells") in Louisiana's Caddo Pine Island Field to the Oilfield Site Restoration Fund, instead of depositing it into the state general fund. This dedicated funding stream will specifically support oilfield site restoration and plugging orphan wells within the Caddo Pine Island Field. The bill modifies existing law to ensure these tax revenues - collected from producers in that specific field - are exclusively used for cleanup and restoration work there. It does not create new taxes or fees but changes the allocation of existing revenue.
This bill designates the week of March 23 through 27, 2026, as Louisiana Agriculture Week to honor farmers, ranchers, and agribusiness leaders across the state. The resolution formally recognizes agriculture's role in Louisiana's economy and encourages citizens and lawmakers to participate in related activities. It also commends the House Committee on Agriculture, Forestry, Aquaculture, and Rural Development for its leadership in connecting legislators with agricultural producers. The bill is procedural and does not create new laws or funding, but rather serves as a symbolic acknowledgment of the agricultural community's contributions.
HB 99 allows individuals aged 18 or older who are legally permitted to carry firearms under state and federal law to carry concealed or open firearms on the campuses of public colleges and universities, as well as private colleges receiving state funding. It prohibits schools from requiring firearm registration, imposing stricter rules than state law, or restricting carry in areas like medical centers, disciplinary hearings, or events with posted security. The bill explicitly excludes private vocational schools and non-funded private institutions from these provisions, while permitting campus-specific restrictions through posted signage. This policy aligns campus carry rules with Louisiana’s existing permitless carry laws for state-funded educational institutions.
