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.
HB 215 increases the property value threshold for "small successions" in Louisiana from $125,000 to $200,000. This change directly affects Louisiana residents inheriting estates valued at or below $200,000 at the time of death, allowing them to avoid full court proceedings for smaller estates. The bill amends the Code of Civil Procedure to adjust the definition of a "small succession" in Article 3421(1), simplifying the process for these cases. This policy change reduces administrative burdens for families managing modest inheritances without altering court procedures for larger estates.
HB 203 amends Louisiana law to specify that the Uterine Fibroids Commission must include one member from the Christus Health System Xavier Ochsner College of Medicine. This procedural bill defines the commission's membership structure without creating new health services or policy changes. It directly affects the composition of the existing commission established under R.S. 40:1104(B)(3). The bill is currently in early stages of consideration (prefiled, referred to Health and Welfare Committee).
SB 84 requires all health insurance plans sold in Louisiana to cover prostate cancer screening for men aged 40-49 (as medically appropriate) and men over 50, following National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines. It mandates that insurers cover these screenings without any out-of-pocket costs for enrollees, including deductibles, copays, or coinsurance. The law applies to new policies starting January 1, 2027, and existing policies must comply by January 1, 2028. This directly affects Louisiana health insurers and their policyholders by guaranteeing no-cost access to recommended prostate cancer screenings.
SB 79 re-creates Louisiana Economic Development (LED) effective June 30, 2026, and sets its termination date for July 1, 2030. The bill specifies that LED and all statutory entities under it must cease operations by July 1, 2030, ending all legislative authority for their existence. This replaces prior sunset provisions and ensures LED’s operations are limited to a defined timeframe without extending beyond 2030.
HB 228 re-creates Louisiana's Department of State Civil Service and its associated statutory entities, effective June 30, 2026. The bill sets a fixed termination date of July 1, 2033, for all statutory authority related to this department and its entities, meaning operations must end by that date unless renewed under specific procedures. It directly affects the Department of State Civil Service and all entities legally part of it, as defined in Louisiana law. The bill amends existing statutes to establish this sunset timeline, replacing prior provisions that would have ended the department earlier. This is a procedural measure focused on structuring the department's temporary existence, not on policy changes for the public.
SB 105 amends Louisiana's TOPS program to expand eligibility for the TOPS-Tech Award to veterans honorably discharged from U.S. military installations located in Louisiana. To qualify, veterans must earn a 17+ ACT score (or equivalent SAT/ACT WorkKeys silver level) and submit their DD-214 discharge documents. The bill specifically applies to the 2020-2023 academic years and targets veterans who served at Louisiana military bases. It modifies existing eligibility rules without changing funding or creating new benefits, focusing solely on qualifying veterans for technical college financial aid.
SB 92 requires Louisiana district attorney offices to submit information about sexual assault collection kits to a statewide tracking system by July 1, 2024. This mandate applies to all relevant entities, including law enforcement and healthcare providers handling these kits, to ensure consistent tracking of evidence. The law also requires the state police to report on implementation progress, including phased rollout plans, to legislative committees and the governor by January 1, 2024. The system aims to improve transparency and coordination in handling sexual assault cases, with the bill taking effect August 1, 2026.
