Rep. Mike Bayham

Maddy summaryHR 91 is a resolution passed by the Louisiana House of Representatives. It formally commends the members and the 2025 board of directors of the Louisiana School Boards Association (LSBA), recognizing their work in representing public school boards and improving education for students across the state.

Maddy summaryHR 59 is a resolution from the Louisiana House of Representatives urging the United States Congress to delay the implementation of the REAL ID Act for Louisiana residents. It specifically requests that the May 7, 2025, deadline be postponed until 2026. This delay is sought to provide additional time for residents to obtain a REAL ID compliant driver's license, as only a quarter of Louisiana drivers currently have one and in-person visits to the Office of Motor Vehicles are required.

Maddy summaryHB 630 reduces the fee for individuals who wish to update their driver's license to be REAL ID compliant prior to their license's regular renewal eligibility. The bill exempts these applicants from the standard duplicate license fee. Instead, they would only be required to pay a handling fee to obtain the REAL ID credential. This change aims to lower the cost for drivers seeking early compliance with REAL ID standards.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 631 reduces the fee for individuals who need to update their name on a driver's license prior to its renewal eligibility. Under this bill, these applicants will be exempt from the standard duplicate license fee. Instead, they will only be required to pay a handling fee for the name change.

Maddy summaryHB 34 revises how medical expenses are handled in civil lawsuits, impacting claimants seeking recovery for medical costs and parties involved in trials. It limits the recovery of medical expenses to amounts considered reasonable for the claim. The bill allows any party to introduce evidence of both the billed and paid amounts for medical services. Furthermore, agreements between healthcare providers and third parties, such as letters of protection with attorneys, will be admissible as evidence to ensure transparency.

Maddy summaryHCR 18 proposes the creation of a task force to study the funding mechanisms for the office of the state public defender. This task force is established to evaluate how legal defense services are financed for individuals who cannot afford an attorney. A specific provision adds a member appointed by the governor, selected from a list provided by the Louisiana Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, to this task force.

Maddy summaryHR 33 is a resolution passed by the Louisiana House of Representatives. It formally recognizes the America250-Louisiana celebrations taking place on April 18-19, 2025. The resolution also commemorates the 250th anniversary of the start of the American Revolution, specifically mentioning events such as Paul Revere's ride and the Battles of Lexington and Concord.

Maddy summaryHR 20 is a resolution that expresses the condolences of the House of Representatives upon the death of Steven "Steve" Joseph Miguez. It acknowledges his life, business career, competitive shooting achievements, and family.

Maddy summaryHB 194 would allow individual taxpayers to deduct a portion of their overtime earnings from their taxable income. Specifically, it authorizes a deduction for overtime compensation, capped at $5,000 per year. This change directly affects individual taxpayers who earn overtime pay and file state income tax returns. The bill modifies existing tax rules to provide this deduction, reducing the taxable income subject to state tax. The deduction applies to overtime compensation only, not regular wages.

Maddy summaryHB 195 creates a new income tax deduction for certain tip income earned by workers in service industries, primarily affecting restaurant staff and similar tipped employees. The bill allows taxpayers to deduct 5% of their reported tip income from their taxable income (after an amendment reduced the rate from 25%). This directly lowers the amount of income subject to state income tax for qualifying workers. The provision applies to tips reported to employers, reducing their overall tax burden without changing existing tax brackets or rates.