HB 310 modifies Louisiana criminal procedure for defendants who waive jury trials. It requires that such cases be randomly reassigned to another judge handling criminal matters if filed in a court with three or more criminal judges. The district attorney may request to prevent this reassignment within 10 days of the waiver being accepted, and courts must approve such requests. The bill directly affects defendants waiving jury trials and courts with multiple criminal judges.
HB 677 allows the Tensas Parish School Board to sell or exchange school lands in Tensas Parish that are no longer needed for educational purposes. The bill requires the school board to obtain a public appraisal from a certified appraiser before any transaction and mandates that exchanged land must be of equal or greater value. It also requires the school board to reserve all mineral rights for the state during any sale or exchange. This bill directly affects the Tensas Parish School Board and state property management in Tensas Parish.
HB 886 requires commercial menhaden fishing operations to submit harvest data to Louisiana's legislature. It removes confidentiality for these reports when received by a legislative committee, overriding existing privacy rules. This means committee members and the public can access the data, which tracks commercial fishing activity. The bill directly affects commercial menhaden fishermen and legislative committees handling the data. It changes how fishing data is shared with lawmakers but does not alter fishing practices or quotas.
This bill changes the official name of the state maritime academy from the "Universities of Louisiana Maritime Academy" to the "University of Louisiana Maritime Academy at Nicholls State University." The change clarifies the institution's affiliation with Nicholls State University while maintaining its role in training merchant marine officers and coordinating maritime programs. The legislation updates the relevant state code to reflect this new naming convention without altering the academy's core functions or educational pathways. This is primarily a procedural update to ensure accurate identification of the institution within Louisiana's higher education system.
HB 406 requires Louisiana's Department of Education to study creating a new governance model for high school athletics, replacing the current system run by the private Louisiana High School Athletic Association (LHSAA). The study must examine how a cooperative agreement with a nonprofit corporation could ensure transparency, fairness, and compliance with public laws (like Open Meetings and Public Records) while aligning athletics with academic priorities. The report, due by March 1, 2027, must include potential nonprofits, implementation plans for the 2028-2029 school year, funding details, and legislative recommendations. This bill directly affects all public and private high schools receiving state funds in Louisiana.
HB 546 amends Louisiana law to clarify when peace officers can take individuals into protective custody for immediate medical evaluation. It requires officers to have reasonable grounds based on personal observation or credible third-party information that a person is either a danger to themselves/others, gravely disabled, or at substantial risk of serious harm without immediate intervention. The bill specifies that officers must transport such individuals only to designated treatment facilities, following existing department procedures. This directly affects law enforcement officers and individuals experiencing acute mental health crises requiring urgent care.
HB 916 adds a $5 fee for recording certain legal documents (like property deeds) with Louisiana clerks of court, effective January 1, 2027. The fee is collected by clerks and sent monthly to the Court Modernization and Technology Fund, which funds court technology upgrades and integration with a statewide electronic filing system. This directly affects individuals and businesses filing documents with local courts, as they will pay the additional fee. The funds specifically support modernizing court technology and creating a unified digital filing platform across all Louisiana courts.
HB 283, the "Teacher's Shield Act," requires immediate suspension of students accused of assaulting or battering school employees (including teachers, substitutes, bus operators, or volunteers) on or off school property. If found guilty by a court or school hearing, students face mandatory expulsion for at least two full school semesters, with placement in an alternative school and required anger management, and cannot return to the school where the incident occurred. The bill also expands sick leave for school employees to cover medical, psychological, and rehabilitation treatment following such incidents. These changes aim to protect school staff and establish clear disciplinary consequences for student violence against employees.
HB 405 amends Louisiana law to establish licensure requirements for acupuncturists. It requires practitioners to hold active certification from the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) and pass its certification exam, including the Biomedicine portion. The bill updates the legal reference to the certifying organization's name to match its current official title. This directly affects individuals seeking to practice acupuncture in Louisiana by setting standardized certification criteria. The bill is currently in committee referral and has not yet been enacted.
HB 380 authorizes Sowela Technical Community College to create a pilot program partnering with local public school systems in Louisiana. The program aims to increase awareness and access to commercial driver's license (CDL), entry-level driver training, and transportation/logistics career programs for students. The partnership requires approval from both Sowela's governing board and the local school board before implementation.
HB 417 increases the maximum balance of Louisiana's Hazardous Waste Site Cleanup Fund from a fixed $6.8 million to an amount adjusted annually based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) starting January 1, 2027. This change affects how the state manages funds generated from hazardous waste cleanup penalties, settlements, and fees collected under environmental laws. The bill requires the state treasurer to redirect excess funds above the new, inflation-adjusted cap into the Environmental Trust Fund, rather than the previous fixed limit. The adjustment mechanism ensures the fund's capacity grows with inflation, avoiding future budget constraints from rising costs. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026.
HB 339 amends Louisiana's public records law to define "protected individual" as including current law enforcement officers. It restricts public access to these officers' personal information, such as home addresses or phone numbers, which is currently available under general public records rules. The bill adds this specific category to existing protections, ensuring law enforcement officers' personal details are not routinely disclosed. This is a procedural change to the law's definitions, not a new policy requiring enforcement mechanisms. The bill is currently in early stages (prefiled, pending committee referral).
