Rep. Rodney Schamerhorn

Maddy summarySB 125 increases compensation for people wrongfully convicted in Louisiana. It raises the annual payment rate from $25,000 to $40,000 per year incarcerated, with a new maximum total of $600,000 starting August 1, 2026 (up from $400,000 previously). It also allows those convicted before July 2022 to apply for supplemental payments (up to $40,000 annually) by August 1, 2027, and offers a $250,000 lump sum option for new claims filed after July 2022. The bill directly affects Louisiana residents who were wrongfully imprisoned and seek financial redress under state law.

Maddy summaryHB 476 requires all public secondary schools (grades 6-12) in Louisiana to display flyers about the Safe Haven Law inside bathroom stall doors. The flyers, created by the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services, must summarize the law (including how children can be legally surrendered), include the department’s website URL, a QR code, contact information, and the Safe Haven Law logo. Charter schools are exempt from this requirement under Section 3996(B)(92). The bill mandates that schools obtain these flyers from the Department of Education and post them in specified locations.

Maddy summaryHB 1253, known as the Gracey Claire Rushing Act, updates Louisiana laws to improve how coroners document and handle human remains and internal organs. The bill requires detailed autopsy reports that include specific personal information, medical findings, and a record of any retained organs, while keeping these reports private except for law enforcement or court orders. Family members and the decedent's physician are granted the right to receive a copy of the report upon request. The legislation is named in memory of a child whose death in 2009 prompted calls for better safeguards in the treatment of remains.

Maddy summarySB 143 requires Louisiana's Department of Public Safety to provide bulletproof vests to all "peace officers" (full-time state, municipal, sheriff, or public agency employees whose duties include enforcing laws and making arrests) upon request. It creates a dedicated "Special Protective Equipment Fund" to finance the vests, funded annually by $8.5 million from the state general fund starting July 2026, plus donations or grants. The bill mandates vests meet U.S. Department of Justice standards and must be wholly manufactured in countries part of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). This law directly affects all eligible law enforcement personnel by ensuring access to standardized protective gear through state-funded provisions.

Maddy summarySB 152, if enacted, would prohibit the sale, manufacture, distribution, or advertising of cell-cultured food products (defined as animal tissue grown from cells outside the organism) for human consumption in Louisiana. It directly affects food businesses and manufacturers producing or selling these products within the state. The bill establishes civil penalties of up to $500 per violation, with enforcement handled by the commissioner through administrative hearings and potential court actions. This proposed legislation is currently pending referral to the Health and Welfare Committee and has not yet become law.

Maddy summaryHB 670 designates wood pellet manufacturing as a priority industry in Louisiana, targeting manufacturers that produce compressed biomass pellets from forestry residues for export or domestic use. The bill requires Louisiana Economic Development to create job incentives, workforce training programs, and prioritize wood pellet cargo at state ports while streamlining permitting for facilities. It directly affects wood pellet manufacturers, rural communities seeking new jobs, and the state's forestry sector by aiming to boost economic growth through international biomass exports. The law establishes clear regulatory pathways to support this industry without compromising environmental safeguards, as outlined in sections §955.1 and §955.2 of the bill.

Maddy summarySB 200 allows Louisiana to take over (expropriate) land within 50 miles of military bases if owned or controlled by "foreign adversaries" (as defined by U.S. Treasury lists) or their agents. It directly affects property owners in that zone who meet the bill’s definitions of foreign adversaries or their agents. The law requires the state to prove the ownership poses a threat to public health and safety before proceeding, using procedures similar to existing eminent domain laws but with added documentation. Property owners would receive relocation assistance under Louisiana’s existing laws. The bill aims to protect military bases by removing potential security risks from foreign-controlled land.

Maddy summarySB 307 would authorize the display of the Ten Commandments as a historical monument on Louisiana State Capitol grounds, alongside other documents like the Mayflower Compact and the Declaration of Independence. The bill requires that such displays include context documents explaining their historical significance to the legal and cultural heritage of Louisiana and the U.S., and mandates that private donations fund the monument without state cost. It references Supreme Court rulings (Van Orden v. Perry and American Legion v. American Humanists Association) that permit religious historical displays on government property when privately funded. The commissioner of administration would oversee the installation, with the bill explicitly prohibiting state funding for the monument.

Maddy summaryHB 861 abolishes inactive boards, commissions, and similar entities in Louisiana that were identified as inactive in a 2025 Legislative Auditor Report. The bill repeals the statutes creating these entities - including the Advisory Commission for Louisiana's Energy, Environment, and Restoration and the Byways Commission - and removes all references to them from state law. This directly affects Louisiana's state government by eliminating redundant legal structures and streamlining operations. The bill does not create new programs but focuses on removing inactive entities to improve government efficiency.

Maddy summaryHB 288 requires healthcare providers in Louisiana to include "miscarriage" in parentheses after "spontaneous abortion" in all medical records and billing documentation. This bill directly affects hospitals, clinics, and medical billing entities regulated under Louisiana law. The key provision mandates this terminology change for consistency in clinical records and billing systems, using plain language to clarify the medical term "spontaneous abortion" (referring to early pregnancy loss). The bill is procedural, focusing solely on standardizing medical documentation terminology without altering healthcare services or patient rights.