This bill ensures that laboratory schools run by public universities in Louisiana, including those under the University of Louisiana System, receive state funding through the Minimum Foundation Program. It updates existing state law to classify these schools as public elementary or secondary schools, making them eligible for annual funding allocations based on a standardized formula. The change directly affects university-operated schools like those at Louisiana State University, Southern University, and institutions such as the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and Monroe. By including these schools in the funding formula, the legislation aims to provide consistent financial support for their operations without altering their university affiliation.
SB 30 prohibits Louisiana state agencies and licensing boards from banning telehealth services for evaluating, diagnosing, or treating obesity and related metabolic conditions. It directly affects licensed healthcare providers who use telehealth to deliver these services. The bill requires that providers may prescribe FDA-approved or compounded noncontrolled medications via telehealth while operating within their license scope and standard of care. This policy change removes regulatory barriers to telehealth for these specific conditions, without altering existing licensure requirements.
SB 32 establishes the Perinatal Bereavement Care Initiative within Louisiana's Department of Health to improve support for families experiencing pregnancy loss or infant death. The bill requires hospitals providing maternity care to receive staff training on supporting grieving parents, access to bereavement resources (like counseling referrals), and perinatal bereavement devices. It prioritizes hospitals serving high-risk patients, delivering many babies, or lacking current bereavement resources. The initiative can fund these services using voluntary monies, including federal grants and donations, without imposing new taxes.
SB 41 requires local governments (such as cities, school boards, and parish police juries) to publish meeting minutes within 45 days after a meeting, extending the current 20-day deadline. This change directly affects public bodies responsible for maintaining open meeting records under Louisiana law. The bill updates penalties for missing the deadline, including fines up to $500 or jail time, now tied to the new 45-day window instead of the previous 20 days. It does not alter the types of records required to be published.
HB 155 amends Louisiana law to prohibit the intentional use of drones (unmanned aircraft systems) over specific sensitive locations without permission. It bans drone flights above the state capitol building, governor's mansion, or correctional facilities (including those holding juveniles or adults in custody) without written consent from the facility's manager. This bill updates existing criminal law by adding these locations to the list of prohibited areas for drone use, requiring explicit authorization for any drone activity there. The bill is currently in the early stages of the legislative process (prefiled and referred to a committee as of February 2026).
HB 106 prohibits child day care centers in Louisiana from providing melatonin (a nonprescription sleep aid) to children without written consent from a parent or legal guardian. The law directly affects day care centers and parents/guardians, requiring centers to obtain explicit permission before administering melatonin. Violations carry penalties of up to $1,000 in fines, six months in jail, or both. The bill specifically targets melatonin use in day care settings, not all nonprescription medications. It is currently pending before the Administration of Criminal Justice Committee.
HB 136 modifies hiring rules for the Harahan Police Department by requiring that vacant positions be filled by selecting from the top three candidates with the highest departmental seniority on the promotional list, rather than using other methods like reinstatement. This directly affects the city of Harahan's police department and candidates on its promotional lists for police positions. The bill changes the appointment process to prioritize seniority within the existing promotional list structure.
HB 112 clarifies how distance is calculated when a parent seeks to relocate a child more than 75 miles from the other parent's residence under Louisiana custody law. It specifies that miles must be measured by the shortest distance on navigable roads between the child's current principal residence and the proposed new location. This applies to custody cases involving relocation within Louisiana, excluding situations where parents have a written agreement or a protective order (like a domestic violence restraining order) is in place. The bill directly affects parents seeking to move with their child and courts reviewing such requests, effective January 1, 2027.
SB 58 imposes mandatory minimum sentences for "aggravated flight" from law enforcement officers in Louisiana. It requires a minimum one-year prison term (without parole or early release) for fleeing police, increasing to two years if the flight causes serious injury. The bill also mandates that fines from these offenses must fund police pursuit training or safety technology, not general agency budgets. Additionally, it requires insurance proceeds related to such crimes to follow existing legal handling rules. This bill directly affects individuals convicted of fleeing police and changes how related fines are used by law enforcement agencies.
SB 71 authorizes the transfer of three specific parcels of state-owned land in Lafayette Parish to the Lafayette Public Trust Financing Authority. The bill describes two smaller parcels (0.547 and 0.78 acres) and one parcel consisting of two lots in the McComb Addition, all excluding mineral rights. This transfer allows the authority to use the property for public purposes, with the state receiving fair market value compensation. The bill is procedural, focusing solely on enabling the property transfer without creating new policy.
HB 187 repeals Louisiana's existing law (R.S. 13:981) that established a dedicated pool of 30 court reporters employed by the Louisiana Supreme Court. The bill removes provisions requiring the Supreme Court to maintain this pool, including rules for geographical assignment, $15,000 annual salaries for pool reporters, and travel expense limits. It directly affects the Supreme Court's administrative structure for court reporting services, eliminating the specific pool system. The repeal does not create new requirements but removes the current statutory framework for this employment model. This is a procedural repeal of an existing administrative mechanism, not a new policy.
SB 93 establishes minimum bail amounts for two specific offenses under Louisiana law: $50,000 for possession of child sexual abuse materials (R.S. 14:81.1) and $100,000 for production of such materials. This bill directly affects defendants charged with these offenses and Louisiana district courts, which must set bail at or above these minimums. The key provision requires courts using a bail schedule to enforce these fixed minimums, though judges may adjust bail higher for "good cause" under limited circumstances, such as rearrest on new charges.
