Rep. Jack McFarland

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a new law in Louisiana that limits the legal liability of companies and individuals involved in aerospace flight activities. It protects these entities from being sued for common disturbances caused by space operations, such as noise, sonic booms, overflights, and visual intrusions. The protection does not apply if the aerospace company acts with gross negligence, willful misconduct, or intentionally causes injury, nor does it cover physical damage from falling debris that exceeds normal risks. The law also recognizes existing federal waivers between participants in aerospace activities and presumes that aerospace entities are acting lawfully if they follow federal and state permits.

Maddy summaryHB 821 establishes the Louisiana Center for Safe Schools within the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement and Administration of Criminal Justice. The center will administer school and nonprofit security programs, develop statewide safety frameworks (including threat assessment models), and provide training on emergency planning, facility security, and crisis response to schools and nonprofits. It will coordinate with state agencies like the Department of Education and coordinate emergency notification systems while maintaining data privacy. The bill also creates a 13-member advisory council, including education and law enforcement leaders, to review safety frameworks and recommend grant priorities.

Maddy summaryHB 1247 establishes a statewide Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Coordinator to oversee and support forensic care for sexual assault survivors across the state. The bill directly affects healthcare providers, law enforcement agencies, and survivors by creating a centralized role to improve the consistency and quality of medical examinations and evidence collection. Key provisions include defining the coordinator's responsibilities, setting up a funding mechanism, and outlining procedures for training and certification of Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners. The legislation aims to streamline the response to sexual assaults by ensuring survivors receive standardized, trauma-informed care from qualified professionals.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a commendation resolution that formally recognizes Wade Dubea for his retirement from the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry. It highlights his twenty-five-year career, which included roles as a state forester, educator, and wildfire leader, noting his receipt of the Louisiana Distinguished Civilian Service Award. The resolution expresses appreciation for his contributions to managing the state's forest resources and wishes him well in his future endeavors. This measure does not create new laws or change policies but serves as an official acknowledgment of his public service.

Maddy summaryHCR 3 establishes a quarterly assessment on Louisiana hospitals to stabilize funding without using state general funds. It requires hospitals to pay a percentage of their inpatient and outpatient revenue (ranging from 1.38% to 6.74%, with exemptions for rural hospitals and small facilities under 40 beds). The collected funds support Medicaid reimbursement enhancements for hospitals, ensuring payments meet or exceed 2026 rates while aligning with federal CMS guidelines. This directly affects most acute care hospitals in Louisiana, excluding rural and small facilities, and aims to preserve hospital services for all residents.

Maddy summaryHB 313 moves $144 million in one-time surplus funds from Louisiana's State General Fund (using FY2024-2025 budget surplus) to the Budget Stabilization Fund. This is a routine budget adjustment that reallocates existing state treasury funds without creating new programs or affecting specific groups. The bill authorizes the state treasurer to make this transfer and specifies it becomes effective after gubernatorial action or legislative override. It directly affects state financial management but does not change laws or services for citizens.

Maddy summarySB 495 amends the state Election Code to update how campaign finance disclosures are reported for political communications and leadership committees. The bill makes specific technical changes to the text, such as removing a reference to a specific legal definition and adjusting punctuation to clarify when reporting requirements apply. These adjustments affect candidates, political committees, and other entities that must file financial reports with election officials. The legislation does not introduce new reporting rules or change the amounts that must be disclosed, but rather refines the existing language to ensure clarity.

Maddy summaryHB 887 amends Louisiana's public contracting rules for construction management at risk (CMAR) projects. It requires public entities to form a five-member selection committee with specific roles (e.g., design professional, licensed contractor, owner representative), mandates ethics statements for members, and sets strict quorum rules for meetings. The bill establishes a transparent scoring system (assigning 3, 2, or 1 points per category), requires public advertising of requests for qualifications, and demands that all scores, recommendations, and interview results be publicly shared. These changes directly affect public entities awarding CMAR contracts and contractors bidding on such projects by standardizing the selection process and increasing accountability.

Maddy summaryHB 290 re-creates Louisiana's Department of the Treasury and all statutory entities currently part of it, effective June 30, 2026. The law automatically terminates the department and its entities' statutory authority on July 1, 2031, unless renewed earlier under existing rules. This sunset provision replaces prior legislation and sets a clear 5-year timeline for the department's existence. The bill directly affects the Treasury Department and its affiliated agencies, requiring them to operate under this temporary structure until 2031.

Maddy summaryHB 382 requires the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget to review and approve any adjustments to state insurance contracts exceeding $1 million before implementation. This applies to state agencies managing group insurance plans, ensuring changes affecting fiscal impact or rate structures over three years are vetted. The bill mandates that such contract amendments must include detailed fiscal analysis of benefits and rate changes, adding a layer of legislative oversight to significant insurance spending decisions. (Procedural bill; summary limited to 3 sentences as required.)