HB 470 establishes Louisiana's Workforce Equity and Opportunity Program to support low-income residents from underrepresented minority groups in high-growth sectors like clean energy, healthcare, and information technology. The bill provides grants to training providers (with at least 60% of participants meeting targeted criteria) and direct financial support covering training costs, living expenses during training, and certification fees for eligible individuals. It prioritizes Historically Black Colleges and Universities and community colleges in low-income areas, allocating $10 million annually for implementation while requiring employer partnerships for guaranteed interviews and prevailing-wage jobs upon program completion.
SB 75 requires local governments in Louisiana (such as parishes and municipalities) to meet cybersecurity standards to qualify for state assistance after a cyberattack. The Governor's Office of Homeland Security must create these standards and rules, which must align with national guidelines. Crucially, if a local government does not meet these standards but still receives state cybersecurity support, it must reimburse the state for those services. The bill establishes a clear financial responsibility for noncompliant local entities seeking state aid.
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 156 proposes a constitutional amendment to change how Louisiana distributes severance taxes from natural resource extraction (like oil and gas) to local parishes. It would remove the current $850,000 annual cap on payments to parishes where resources are extracted, instead requiring 20% of those taxes to be remitted directly to the parish government. Future payments would automatically increase each July based on the Consumer Price Index to adjust for inflation. This bill directly affects parishes with resource production, potentially increasing their funding from extraction activities, and requires voter approval by November 2026 for implementation starting July 2027.
HB 922 prevents Louisiana utilities from raising rates for residential customers due to new electricity demands from large data centers. It requires utilities to charge data centers directly for all associated costs (like new power plants or transmission lines) through separate contracts or rate classes, ensuring households do not bear these expenses. The Public Service Commission must create rules mandating 15-year contracts with data centers, prohibiting cross-subsidization, and requiring independent reviews of utility investments. The bill applies to new data center projects starting from its effective date.
HB 641 sets funding rules for the Twenty-Second Judicial District's district attorney's office in Louisiana. It establishes that assistant district attorneys (ADAs) will receive an extra $8,000 annually per year (paid by St. Tammany and Washington parishes at $4,000 each), in addition to state salaries, with total ADA salary budgets protected from cuts after six months. The bill also creates a dedicated operating budget for the district attorney's office, covering staff salaries (including ADAs), office supplies, equipment, training, and matching federal grants, all funded by the parishes. It repeals prior sections governing these finances and requires annual budgeting by the parishes to cover these costs.
HB 614 creates a state sales tax rebate for businesses that pay sales tax on lodging and meals for workers performing disaster or emergency response work during a declared state disaster. It directly affects qualifying businesses deploying personnel to disaster sites, allowing them to reclaim the actual sales tax paid on these purchases. To claim the rebate, businesses must apply to the Department of Revenue with proof of tax paid, and the rebate expires on January 1, 2032. The bill provides clear eligibility rules and application procedures without specifying a rebate amount or percentage.
HB 660 increases the state-paid annual salary for assistant district attorneys in Louisiana to $50,500 starting July 1, 2026. It directly affects all assistant district attorneys whose salaries are funded by the state (not local parishes), including those in Orleans Parish. The bill specifies exact salary amounts on set dates (e.g., $50,000 effective 2021, $50,500 effective 2026) and requires separate state appropriations to fund these increases. This is a concrete salary adjustment with no new program or policy beyond the specified pay rates.
HB 643 legalizes the purchase of Louisiana lottery tickets via the internet. It directly affects Louisiana residents aged 21+ who are physically within the state, requiring age and location verification for online purchases. The bill establishes new definitions for "internet lottery" and its revenue, mandates the Lottery Corporation to implement verification rules, and requires the corporation to transfer at least 25% of internet lottery gross revenues annually to the state treasury after the first year of operation. These provisions aim to regulate online sales while directing revenue to state funds.
HB 386 clarifies funding rules for Louisiana charter schools by requiring that Type 1, 3, 3B (non-LEA), and Type 4 charter schools receive per-pupil funding based on the state's minimum foundation program, adjusted for student needs. The bill allows these schools to operate as their own local education agency (LEA) for funding purposes with local school board approval, while Type 2 and 5 charter schools are automatically treated as the LEA. It also authorizes the state to withhold 0.25% of certain fees from charter schools to cover administrative costs for financial oversight. This affects all Louisiana charter schools receiving state funding and standardizes their financial relationship with local districts.
