Rep. Vanessa LaFleur

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies the rules for filing fees within the Complex Litigation Section Pilot Program of the Nineteenth Judicial District Court. It updates the language to ensure that all money collected from these fees is sent directly to the court for use rather than being handled by a specific parish clerk. The legislation also requires the court to maintain accurate financial records and conduct an annual audit of the funds. Additionally, it makes minor formatting adjustments to the text of the existing law.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the language in a previous law to clarify that jurors can donate their daily jury duty pay to the Capital Area Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) organization. The changes correct minor wording errors by replacing "the" with "their" and updating a section reference from "Paragraph (A)" to "Subsection A." These adjustments ensure the existing rule allowing jurors to give their compensation to CASA is clearly written without altering the policy itself.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Louisiana's special education laws by requiring school board members to receive training on special education policies and mandating that local school districts report annual financial and academic data to special education advisory councils. It extends the time limit for filing special education due process hearings from one to two years and allows for a non-adversarial early resolution process where resulting agreements can be enforced in court. Additionally, the legislation requires the state board to establish rules for behavioral health services and mandates that public schools install cameras in classrooms within 90 days of a parent's request.

Maddy summaryThis bill makes computer science a mandatory subject for high school graduation in states that require two units of foreign language study. It achieves this by amending existing graduation requirements to list computer science as an option alongside specific foreign language courses like Spanish. Additionally, the legislation mandates that teacher preparation programs include training on how to teach computer science. These changes directly impact high school students, their graduation plans, and the professional development of future educators.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates the requirements for real estate brokers and salespeople in Louisiana to clarify how they can regain their licenses after expiration or inactivity. It allows individuals who let their licenses lapse to reapply within a specific window without having to complete the full initial education hours again. Specifically, brokers and salespeople who renew their application by the end of the year following their expiration date can skip the standard 150-hour broker course or 90-hour salesperson course. Additionally, the law states that inactive licensees do not need to complete annual continuing education while their license is inactive, though they must finish required training before returning to active status.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates the Children's Code to clarify how academic and transitional plans are handled for children committed to the Department of Public Safety and Corrections. It mandates that individualized learning plans for these minors must explicitly include vocational training options. Additionally, the law requires the department to provide a copy of the child's academic plan and progress reports to their parents or guardians upon release. The bill also establishes a requirement for the department to create a comprehensive transitional plan at least six months before a child is released, covering areas such as education, health, living arrangements, and employment.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes an Alzheimer's and Related Dementias Advisory Council within the Louisiana Department of Health to provide guidance on issues affecting people with dementia. The council will be composed of specific members, including a representative from the home health industry with dementia experience, and the governor must appoint a caregiver for a person with Alzheimer's or related dementia to the group. The legislation also updates the council's connection to the governor's office of elderly affairs and adjusts the number of members to twenty-two. These changes aim to create a formal advisory body focused on dementia care without altering existing funding or operational procedures.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new specialty license plate in Louisiana dedicated to the Grambling State University World Famed Tiger Marching Band. The plate will be available to any Louisiana vehicle owner, including those driving cars, trucks, and motorcycles, provided there are at least 1,000 applicants. Each plate will cost an additional $25 in royalties, which must be used exclusively to support the university's marching band program, along with a small $3.50 administrative fee. The Department of Public Safety and Corrections is tasked with designing the plate in collaboration with university officials and issuing it once the necessary systems are updated.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases penalties for specific domestic violence offenses in Louisiana, particularly those involving strangulation. It directly affects individuals charged with battery against dating partners or domestic abuse battery who use strangulation or cause serious bodily injury. Under the new rules, offenders who strangle their victims face up to three years in hard labor, while those who strangle and cause serious injury must serve between five and fifty years without the possibility of probation or parole. Additionally, anyone who intentionally inflicts serious bodily injury during these crimes could face up to eight years in hard labor. These changes add mandatory prison time to existing punishments for the most severe forms of intimate partner violence.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies the membership and duties of the Dual Enrollment Framework Task Force, which oversees high school college credit programs. It adds a new requirement for the task force to expand virtual instruction options, aiming to increase access to dual enrollment courses across different school districts. By updating the task force's responsibilities, the legislation seeks to broaden the availability of online learning opportunities for students seeking college credits while they are still in high school.