Rep. Doyle Boudreaux

Maddy summaryHB 584 requires Louisiana's local social services districts to provide foster children aged 14-18 with durable, reusable luggage (such as backpacks, boxes, or suitcases) instead of garbage bags when they move between foster homes. This policy change directly affects youth in foster care by ensuring their belongings are transported safely and with dignity. The bill explicitly prohibits the use of garbage bags for this purpose and defines the responsibility of social services districts to provide the required luggage. It amends Louisiana law to guarantee this specific right for older foster youth during placement transitions.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends surviving spouse benefits to reserve and auxiliary law enforcement officers in Louisiana who die while on duty. It modifies existing law to include these officers under the same eligibility rules as commissioned officers, specifically when they die while: (1) traveling to or from a public safety emergency, or (2) commuting between their residence and work area in a law enforcement vehicle provided by their agency. The policy change directly affects the spouses of reserve and auxiliary officers who qualify under these two scenarios. It expands access to financial security payments previously limited to commissioned officers.

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 summaryThis bill asks the legislative auditor to review how fiscal notes are created during the legislative session. The review will compare the state's current process with similar systems used in other states to identify potential improvements. It also requires the auditor to examine the data and information used in these fiscal notes. The changes aim to enhance the evaluation of the legislative fiscal office's work without altering the underlying budgeting laws.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a task force to examine Louisiana's Minimum Foundation Program formula, which determines how state and local funds are distributed to public schools. The group will study ways to create a stable, permanent funding source for teacher and support staff pay raises, ensuring these increases are not dependent on temporary or one-time money. The bill directly affects school systems, educators, and taxpayers by aiming to replace uncertain, short-term funding with a predictable long-term solution. By analyzing the current complex funding structure, the task force will provide recommendations to improve clarity and sustainability for school budgets and employee compensation.

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 summaryThis bill allows jurors in Louisiana's Nineteenth Judicial District to voluntarily donate their jury duty pay to the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) program, which supports children in the court system. The legislation creates a pilot program where jurors can choose to contribute their per diem compensation to CASA during jury orientation, with the court clerk managing the collection and distribution of funds. The bill also ensures that information about participating jurors remains confidential and is not part of public records. This change applies only to the Nineteenth Judicial District and is limited to a two-year trial period.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows charter schools in Louisiana to prioritize enrollment for kindergarten students who attended specific early learning centers. It directly affects charter schools and the families of young children by creating a formal preference system for certain preschool experiences. Under the new rule, schools can give preference to students who attended a center run by the charter school itself or a separate licensed center where the student spent at least 75 days and an enrollment agreement exists between the two organizations. The legislation adds this option to existing charter school requirements without mandating that schools use the preference, leaving the decision to individual charter schools.

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 summaryThis bill creates the Empower Louisiana Food Purchase Program, administered by the Louisiana Department of Health, to provide restricted-use food purchase cards through qualified nonprofit organizations. Nonprofits must be IRS 501(c)(3) entities that operate food assistance programs and agree to follow reporting requirements, with the program initially launched as a pilot in one region before expanding statewide. The program allows individuals to fund cards directly or for others, prohibits cash withdrawals, and operates separately from SNAP while matching its eligible food items. The department will generate annual transaction reports but will not audit charitable spending or access donor or recipient records, with a final evaluation report due by March 1, 2028.