This resolution formally commends Sophia Patout and Layla Porter for winning a national Future Farmers of America award for their Coastal Restoration Heroes program. The two students from St. Amant High School led an initiative that planted over 6,000 native plants to stabilize shorelines and protect approximately 18 acres of salt marsh on West Grand Terre Island. The document recognizes their work in mobilizing student volunteers and partnering with restoration organizations to combat coastal land loss in Louisiana. This is a ceremonial acknowledgment rather than a law that changes policy or creates new requirements.
This bill approves Louisiana's Fiscal Year 2027 annual state integrated coastal protection plan, which was developed by the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority Board. The plan outlines projects and programs to protect, conserve, enhance, and restore the state's coastal areas, including hurricane protection and land management initiatives. By approving the plan, the legislature authorizes its implementation and directs funding to priority projects based on the plan's identified needs. The resolution follows required public hearings and committee reviews, making the plan effective for the upcoming fiscal year.
This bill designates Tuesday, March 17, 2026, as Louisiana Nursery and Landscape Association Day at the state capitol. It formally recognizes the Louisiana Nursery and Landscape Association and its members for their work in advancing horticulture, promoting environmental stewardship, and supporting the state's landscape industry. The resolution commends the association's contributions to beautifying communities and strengthening the agricultural economy through professional standards and sustainable practices. This is a ceremonial measure with no changes to laws or regulations.
This bill is a commendation resolution that formally recognizes W.H. Ward Properties, Inc. for being named Tree Farmer of the Year by the Louisiana Forestry Association. It directly affects the company and its family by offering legislative appreciation for their century-long stewardship of a 618-acre tree farm in LaSalle Parish. The resolution highlights the company's contributions to the state's forestry industry, including community support through scholarships and donations to the local Choctaw Indian band. This measure does not change laws or policies but serves to honor the business's achievements and its positive impact on Louisiana's forestry sector.
This bill requires public schools in Louisiana to offer age-appropriate hunting courses to students in grades five through twelve. The courses must include firearms training, hunter education, and conservation education, though schools may add other relevant topics. Charter schools are exempt from this requirement unless they choose to include it in their approved charter. The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education will work with the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries to create rules for implementation, with the program starting in the 2027-2028 school year.
This bill is a commendation resolution honoring Gordie White for his long-term dedication to waterfowl conservation and wetland preservation through his work with Ducks Unlimited. It recognizes his role in founding the New Iberia chapter in 1972, his service as state chairman, and his development of the "Ducklings" volunteer fundraising model that has spread nationwide. The resolution does not create new laws or policies but serves to formally acknowledge his contributions and encourage future generations to continue environmental stewardship.
This bill authorizes Louisiana parishes and municipalities to issue temporary bans on outdoor burning when environmental conditions create a high risk of wildfires. Local governments can enforce these bans through ordinances, resolutions, or emergency proclamations and must provide public notice via websites, social media, and emergency alert systems. The law exempts agricultural burning, prescribed burns, and contained cooking or recreational fires from restrictions. Violations can result in civil fines ranging from $500 to $2,500, and offenders who cause significant property damage or harm to critical infrastructure face criminal penalties including imprisonment and restitution for fire suppression costs. Fire departments and municipal code enforcement officers are authorized to enforce these burn bans alongside traditional law enforcement agencies.
HB 835 establishes an annual $100 charter guide permit for fishing guides operating within Louisiana's Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs). This permit replaces individual access permits for both the guide and their paying clients during for-hire fishing trips. Guides must submit confidential landing reports detailing trips, anglers, and fishing locations to the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, but financial data is excluded. Violations of the permit or reporting rules carry fines starting at $1,000 or require vessel monitoring systems for repeat offenses, with license suspension possible for non-compliance. The bill directly affects commercial fishing guides conducting trips in WMAs.
SB 186 sets annual catch limits for commercial menhaden fishing in Louisiana territorial waters. It requires commercial fishing companies using purse seines to harvest no more than 315 million pounds of menhaden per year. The bill also prohibits possessing more than 5% by weight of any non-menhaden or non-herring-like fish species while fishing. These provisions directly affect commercial menhaden fishing operations in Louisiana.
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.
