Rep. Edmond Jordan

Maddy summaryThis resolution (HR 345) is a memorial from Louisiana's House urging Congress to create a federal disaster insurance program covering flooding, tornadoes, fires, and other disasters. It directly affects homeowners and businesses in disaster-prone areas by requesting affordable insurance to cover rebuilding costs, modeled after the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The resolution emphasizes that such insurance would provide financial certainty for insurers and expedite recovery efforts after events like hurricanes or wildfires. It does not create new law but asks Congress to adopt this approach to complement existing disaster relief programs.

Maddy summaryHR 329 is a resolution (not a binding bill) passed by the Louisiana House urging the Attorney General and Louisiana Department of Insurance to investigate pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) for potential violations of existing laws. It specifically requests that these agencies examine whether PBMs are violating rules by owning or financially benefiting from pharmacies, which critics argue creates conflicts of interest that disadvantage independent pharmacies. The resolution also urges the Louisiana legislature to pass new laws prohibiting PBMs from owning or having financial interests in pharmacies. This would aim to prevent PBMs from steering patients to their own affiliated pharmacies and ensure fair reimbursement practices for all pharmacies. The resolution highlights concerns about rising drug costs, reduced competition, and threats to rural pharmacy access, referencing similar actions taken by other states.

Maddy summaryThe full text of HB 359 is not provided, making a complete summary difficult. However, based on the available information, Amendment No. 1 to HB 359 proposes to add an emergency medicine physician, selected by the president of the Louisiana State Medical Society, to a specific list or body within the bill. Given the bill's title, "MENTAL HEALTH: Provides relative to victims of human trafficking," this physician would likely be involved in efforts related to mental health support for human trafficking victims. The specific role or impact of this addition cannot be determined without the full bill text.

Maddy summaryHB 357 requires health insurance plans to cover integrative cancer treatments like acupuncture, directly affecting cancer patients seeking these services and health insurance issuers. The bill limits coverage for acupuncture treatment during active cancer care to fifteen visits per year, unless additional treatments are recommended by nationally recognized cancer guidelines and the treating physician. It also modifies prior authorization requirements by adding "prior authorization" to the list of coverage conditions. This bill is currently under review by the Committee on Appropriations after passing the Insurance Committee with amendments.

Maddy summaryHB 656 would repeal a previously enacted reduction in Louisiana's state sales and use tax rate, effectively increasing the tax rate. It would dedicate a portion of the resulting tax revenue - estimated at $276.8 million - to fund permanent salary increases for public school staff, specifically requiring at least $2,000 for certified personnel and $1,000 for noncertified personnel. The bill's implementation is conditional: it would only take effect on January 1, 2030, if the legislature fails to secure funding for these raises by December 31, 2029, through the Minimum Foundation Program or other sources. This bill directly affects public school employees across Louisiana's city, parish, and local school boards.

Maddy summaryThis bill (HSR 1) is a study request, not a law. It directs Louisiana's House Ways and Means and Insurance committees to jointly study whether creating a Catastrophe Reinsurance Program - using "catastrophe bonds" to let insurance companies transfer hurricane and natural disaster risk to investors - is feasible. The study aims to address rising insurance costs for homeowners by potentially stabilizing rates through this alternative reinsurance method. The committees must report findings to the legislature by January 31, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 60 amends Louisiana law to authorize the Department of Veterans Affairs to operate and maintain healthcare facilities specifically for war veterans with psychiatric or geriatric conditions, as well as other veterans and nonveterans meeting federal eligibility under Title 38 of the U.S. Code. It defines "war veterans" as those honorably discharged after serving during U.S. wartime periods (including Korean Conflict, Vietnam era, and post-January 1955 service). The bill also expands access to include National Guard or reservists not activated under federal duty (Title 10). This legislation directly affects Louisiana war veterans and eligible nonveterans seeking specialized healthcare services through state-operated facilities.

Maddy summaryHB 202 requires Louisiana public colleges and universities to offer students a voluntary privacy waiver form. This form allows students to authorize their institution to share specific mental health crisis information - such as the nature of the crisis, actions taken (e.g., counseling referrals), and follow-up care recommendations - with designated contacts (like parents or guardians) during a mental health emergency where the student poses a risk to themselves or others. The waiver explicitly states that specific diagnoses or treatment details will not be shared without additional authorization, and students can revoke consent in writing at any time. The policy applies directly to all students at Louisiana’s public postsecondary institutions and their chosen contacts, while maintaining compliance with federal and state privacy laws.

Maddy summaryHB 355 amends Louisiana's government ethics code to specifically allow former sexual assault nurse examiners to continue providing services to their former public employers on a contractual basis after leaving government jobs. The bill creates a targeted exception to standard post-employment restrictions, directly affecting sexual assault nurse examiners who transition from public healthcare roles. This change enables these professionals to maintain contractual relationships with their previous employers without violating ethics rules, focusing solely on their specific role in sexual assault care. The provision is limited to this profession and does not alter general post-employment rules for other public employees.

Maddy summaryHCR 37 establishes the Caleb Wilson Hazing Prevention Task Force within the state's higher education system. The task force will develop strategies to prevent hazing at colleges and universities, directly affecting public and private higher education institutions. The resolution names the task force after Caleb Wilson, honoring his memory, though the bill does not detail specific prevention methods or funding mechanisms. This is a procedural resolution creating a new body, not a law imposing new requirements.