HB 441 repeals a requirement from Act No. 384 (2024) that previously mandated the State Civil Service Commission and New Orleans' City Civil Service Commission to create a plan for transferring employees of the New Orleans Sewerage and Water Board into the state civil service system. This bill directly affects employees of the New Orleans Sewerage and Water Board by ending the obligation to develop such a transfer plan. The key mechanism is simply removing the specific provision (Section 2 of Act No. 384) from law. As a procedural repeal, it makes no new policy changes but alters the existing legal framework governing the board's employee classification.
HB 145 creates a new program to cover uncovered medical and dental expenses for full-time firemen and law enforcement officers (including sheriffs, state police, municipal police, and university police) injured while performing job duties. It requires the Law Enforcement Officers and Firemen's Survivor Benefit Review Board to review claims within 60 days and authorizes the state risk director to pay up to $50,000 per injury for expenses not covered by workers' compensation or employer health insurance. The bill excludes coverage for injuries caused by intentional misconduct, intoxication, or gross negligence. This program applies to injuries occurring on or after January 1, 2023, with the law taking effect July 1, 2026.
SB 157 would require Louisiana public school districts to provide eligible educators with six weeks (240 hours) of paid parental leave at 100% of base pay for qualifying events like birth, adoption, foster placement, or pregnancy loss. This applies to full- or part-time school employees with at least one year of service, covering both parents who are eligible. Schools must adopt written policies, provide advance notice to employees about their rights, and prohibit counting this leave as an absence that could lead to disciplinary action. The bill does not override existing better benefits in union contracts or other laws but mandates this new standard for public school employees.
HB 77 requires the Lincoln Parish Clerk of Court to pay 100% of group insurance premiums (including life, health, dental, and medical expense coverage) for qualifying retirees. It directly affects former Lincoln Parish Clerk of Court employees who retire with at least 20 years of full-time service, are age 55 or older, and begin receiving retirement benefits immediately upon retirement. The bill specifically covers standard group insurance plans but excludes supplemental insurance options. This provision is limited to Lincoln Parish and applies only to retirees meeting these exact service and age requirements.
This resolution asks the city of Shreveport to establish an interest-free loan program for Transportation Security Administration agents working at the Shreveport Regional Airport. The request is based on a federal government shutdown that began in February 2026, during which these security employees continue working without pay. The bill cites Maryland's similar program as a model for providing financial assistance to essential workers during government shutdowns. It is a non-binding request rather than a law, meaning the city of Shreveport is not required to act on it. The resolution directs copies to the mayor, city council, and Caddo Parish Commission for their consideration.
SB 22 adds constables in the Second City Court of New Orleans to the Municipal Employees' Retirement System (MERS) as eligible members. This specifically affects constables in that court who previously may not have qualified for MERS membership under existing rules. The bill amends Louisiana law to define "marshals or constables of city courts" as eligible employers under MERS, expanding retirement system access for these positions. The change takes effect upon governor's signature or legislative approval, without altering existing retirement benefits or creating new positions.
This bill allows retired state employees to return to work in specific critical shortage positions within the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, overriding the usual two-year reemployment ban for those who retired under early retirement incentive plans. To qualify, positions must be full-time roles that have been advertised through civil service rules but received too few applicants, including leadership roles like majors and captains, as well as nurses and social workers. Retirees who return to these positions can keep their full retirement benefits while both they and the department continue making required contributions to the retirement system, though they do not earn additional service credit or benefits. The department secretary must certify the need for each position and review annually whether reemployment remains necessary, while disability retirees are excluded from returning under this provision.
HB 185 clarifies the definition of an "independent contractor" under Louisiana's workers' compensation law. It states that independent contractors are generally excluded from workers' comp coverage unless "a substantial part" of their work involves manual labor. The bill specifically excludes trucking-related tasks (like driving, fueling, or connecting trailers) from counting as manual labor. Additionally, it expands coverage to include employees of independent contractors and other contractors working through them. This change directly affects workers and businesses classified as independent contractors in Louisiana.
This bill clarifies rules for municipal retirees who return to part-time work. It ensures retirees with over 30 years of service and age 60+ will keep full retirement benefits without reduction if rehired part-time (until June 2028), regardless of earnings. For other retirees (30 years or less service), benefits are reduced if their part-time earnings exceed the difference between their final salary and retirement benefit. The changes apply specifically to those returning to employment covered by Louisiana's Municipal Employees' Retirement System.
HB 286 repeals existing Louisiana law (R.S. 33:7728) governing the St. Tammany Parish Mosquito Abatement District. The bill removes the district's independent authority to control its own spending, prohibits it from extending services beyond its defined boundaries, and ends its ability to cover certain employee health insurance claims. These changes directly affect the St. Tammany Mosquito Abatement District by altering its operational powers and financial management. The bill does not create new services or funding but modifies the district's legal framework.
