Rep. Rhonda Butler

Maddy summaryThis resolution directs a specific subcommittee within Louisiana's Children's Cabinet Advisory Board to study the needs of the state's child welfare system. The study will examine challenges faced by children and families receiving services from the Department of Children and Family Services and aim to provide recommendations for improving outcomes and protecting children. The subcommittee is required to submit a written report with its findings and suggestions by February 1, 2025, to the House Committee on Health and Welfare and the state's legislative research library.

Maddy summaryThis bill contains only technical corrections to the text of a previous amendment regarding the licensing of PACE program providers. It does not introduce new laws or policy changes but instead fixes minor errors in the wording and numbering of an earlier draft. As a result, the bill has no direct impact on providers or the public and serves solely to clean up the legislative record.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities to create faster approval processes for emergency funding and waiver programs for families with developmental disabilities. It requires the agency to establish these expedited procedures through administrative or rulemaking authority by April 1, 2025, specifically for cases involving extraordinary circumstances. The legislation aims to ensure that eligible families can receive necessary financial support and service waivers more quickly during urgent situations.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Louisiana's legislative auditor to examine how local governments and other nonstate entities spend money on new construction projects funded by the state. The law specifically targets entities that receive capital outlay funds and mandates that they follow existing financial rules when building new projects. If an entity fails to comply with these spending requirements, the auditor must record the violation as a finding of noncompliance. This change aims to increase oversight of state-funded construction projects to ensure proper use of public money.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new crime called coerced criminal abortion by means of fraud, which prohibits anyone from knowingly giving an abortion-inducing drug to a pregnant woman without her knowledge or consent. It also amends existing laws to explicitly classify attempted abortions as a crime and adds the specific act of using drugs to cause an abortion to the state's list of racketeering activities. Under the new provisions, offenders face prison sentences ranging from five to twenty years and fines between ten thousand and one hundred thousand dollars, depending on the gestational age of the pregnancy and the risk to the woman's health. The law applies to any person who engages in these actions, not just medical professionals, and ensures that a conviction under this bill does not prevent further prosecution for more serious offenses like murder if the woman is harmed or killed.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the Louisiana Pregnancy and Baby Care Initiative, a state program designed to support pregnant women and newborns. It requires the relevant state department to create specific rules that ensure the program is clinically effective, financially stable, and held to high performance standards. The legislation also mandates that the department report its annual progress to the legislature, including details on oversight and penalties for failing to meet program goals.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends state law to create a process for doctors to request exceptions when health insurance plans restrict access to certain medications. Specifically, it allows physicians to bypass standard approval steps for drugs used to treat postpartum depression if the medication's specific indication is not yet approved by the FDA. The law requires insurance companies to provide an easy online way for doctors to apply for these overrides and to grant them quickly when supported by sound clinical evidence. Although the bill includes language about this provision, it currently has no impact because it was recalled from committee and did not advance to a vote.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a concurrent resolution that formally expresses the condolences of the Louisiana Legislature on the death of James David Cain, a former state representative and senator. The document honors Cain's life and career by detailing his background as a basketball coach, his military service, and his decades of public service in both the House and Senate. It serves as an official acknowledgment of his contributions to the state and extends sympathy to his surviving family members, including his wife, children, and grandchildren.

Maddy summaryThis bill asks two agricultural research centers, LSU AgCenter and Southern University Ag Center, to work together on studying new ways to use sugarcane bagasse, which is the leftover plant material after sugar is extracted. The study will focus on finding economic benefits for sugarcane farmers by exploring uses like animal feed, biofuels, soil improvements, and industrial materials, relying on private sector investment. The research centers are required to submit a written report of their findings to state legislative committees and related organizations by February 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis concurrent resolution urges the Louisiana Legislature to continue funding and expanding the "Greaux the Good" program, which supports farmers markets and direct-to-consumer sales. The bill aims to help low-income residents enrolled in SNAP or WIC buy fresh fruits and vegetables by providing dollar-for-dollar matches at participating local markets. By increasing the number of vendors and shoppers, the program seeks to boost the state's agricultural economy while addressing food insecurity and improving nutrition in vulnerable communities.