HB 788 amends the boundaries and fee limits for the Melrose East Crime Prevention District in East Baton Rouge Parish. It defines the district's boundaries as the area enclosed by Renoir Avenue, North Ardenwood Drive, North Lobdell Boulevard, and Florida Boulevard (north side), with expanded areas requiring voter approval. The bill also limits annual parcel fees for property owners to rates specified in state law and requires voter approval via election with prior notification for any boundary expansion. This directly affects property owners within the district boundaries who pay these fees.
HB 698 establishes the 105 electoral districts for Louisiana's House of Representatives by defining specific geographic boundaries for each district. The bill details which precincts in various parishes (such as Caddo, Bossier, and Orleans) make up each district, determining which voters will elect a particular representative. This procedural redistricting bill directly affects how Louisiana residents are grouped for voting in state House elections.
HB 607 appropriates $566,356 from Louisiana's state general fund for fiscal year 2025-2026 to pay a court-ordered judgment against the state. The funds will cover lost earnings and fringe benefits plus interest for two University of Louisiana physicians - Dr. Mahtab A. Lodhi ($416,020) and Dr. Peter Yaukey ($150,336) - following a 2023 civil court ruling. The bill requires the state treasurer to verify documentation before payment and specifies that interest stops accruing once the funds are disbursed. It does not create new policy but directs payment for a finalized court judgment.
HB 520 requires Louisiana district clerks of court to provide electronic access to minute entries about violent crimes and sex offenses for cases filed after January 1, 2027. This access is specifically for court officers, not the general public, and must be transmitted to the state's online portal for clerks' records. The bill amends existing rules to add these offense categories to the information shared with court officers. It does not change public access to criminal records, which remains limited to minute entries for all criminal cases (excluding traffic violations) filed after 2020. The policy creates a formal process for sharing specific criminal case details within the justice system.
HB 309 imposes a $25 civil penalty on pedestrians who walk on crosswalks while using a cellphone. It also creates a rebuttable presumption that violators may be liable for damages resulting from their distraction. The bill directly affects individuals walking in crosswalks while using mobile devices. This measure establishes minor financial consequences for distracted walking, focusing on civil enforcement rather than criminal penalties.
HB 423 establishes statewide safety rules for parades in Louisiana, directly affecting parade organizers, float riders, and public safety officials. It bans glass bottles on floats, prohibits discriminatory or obscene items/messages, requires safety briefings for all float riders, and mandates incident reporting for rule violations. Organizers must also maintain a list of all riders for identification after incidents. The bill aims to standardize safety measures across all permitted parades through enforceable rules created by the Department of Public Safety and Corrections.
HB 890 requires new scientific evidence and stricter environmental reviews for certain construction projects on Lake Maurepas and Lake Pontchartrain, directly affecting developers of pipelines, dredging, or offshore platforms. It mandates specific documentation - including sediment testing, benthic habitat mapping, and hydrodynamic modeling - to prove activities won’t permanently harm lake bottoms, disrupt ecosystems, or increase pollution. The bill also requires independent scientific reviews, public hearings in affected areas, and written findings for each environmental criterion before permits are issued. These rules apply to all pending permits as of the law’s effective date, with no impact on federal jurisdiction.
SB 377 regulates pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) in Louisiana by setting rules for their compensation and transparency. It prohibits PBMs from retaining rebates or charging fees based on drug prices, savings, or patient costs, requiring instead a fixed fee for services. The bill mandates annual certification by PBMs to the insurance commissioner and allows annual audits to review payments to pharmacies and rebate handling. These audits require PBMs to provide detailed claim-level data, including reimbursement rates for affiliated vs. unaffiliated pharmacies and quarterly rebate amounts.
SB 372 expands the Louisiana Insurance Commissioner's authority to examine pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) financial records. It allows the commissioner to access detailed payment data between insurers, PBMs, and pharmacies to verify the accuracy of required transparency reports. The bill specifically authorizes review of individual drug payment amounts paid by insurers to PBMs and by PBMs to pharmacies. This directly affects PBMs, insurers, and pharmacies by increasing oversight of their financial transactions. The law aims to improve transparency in how PBMs handle drug payments within the insurance system.
HB 411, titled "The Pelican Promise: Zero in Ten Income Tax Freedom Act," gradually reduces Louisiana's individual income tax rates over 12 years, phasing out the tax entirely by 2039. It lowers the tax rate from 3% for 2027 to 0% for all income starting in 2039, with incremental reductions each year (e.g., 2.9% in 2028, 2.8% in 2029, etc.). The bill directly affects all Louisiana residents who pay state income tax, as it applies to taxable income beginning January 1, 2027. The key mechanism is a scheduled, step-by-step rate reduction, culminating in no state income tax on individual earnings after 2038. The law takes effect January 1, 2027, and is scheduled to eliminate the tax entirely by 2039.
HB 754 creates two protected areas in Lake Pontchartrain: the existing Lake Catherine and Lake Pontchartrain Sanctuary, and a new Manchac Wildlife Management Area Sanctuary. The bill prohibits commercial fishing using trawls, skimmer nets, butterfly nets, seines, or standard traps within these sanctuaries, while allowing recreational spearfishing, hoop nets for catfish, crab traps, and certain fishing south/east of the I-10 bridge during open seasons. These sanctuaries are administered by Louisiana's Wildlife and Fisheries Commission to conserve fish and marine life. The law directly affects commercial and recreational fishermen operating in the specified lake zones.
HB 920 requires drug manufacturers to limit out-of-pocket costs for GLP-1 medications (used for diabetes and obesity treatment) under health insurance plans in Louisiana. It caps patient costs at $200 per 30-day prescription, regardless of the specific medication or medical condition. The bill also mandates that Louisiana Medicaid cover GLP-1 medications without condition-based restrictions when prescribed. These provisions apply to all health coverage plans, including Medicaid, and may require federal waiver approvals for implementation. The bill is currently in the prefiling stage with no votes recorded.
