Rep. Joy Walters

Maddy summaryHB 369 defines the 39 voting districts for Louisiana's State Senate, replacing previous district boundaries. It specifies exact geographic areas in each parish (like Orleans, Jefferson, and St. Bernard) that will elect one senator each. The bill directly affects Louisiana voters by determining which communities are grouped into a single Senate district for elections. This is a procedural redistricting bill with no policy changes beyond establishing new electoral boundaries.

Maddy summaryHB 68, known as "The Two Chains Act," creates a new sentencing framework for certain defendants convicted of capital felonies. It directly affects individuals with no prior convictions who have mental health symptoms (like anxiety or depression) or specific gynecological health conditions (such as fibroids or endometriosis). The bill sets maximum sentences at 50 years if the defendant was 21 or older at the time of the offense, or 65 years if under 21, and allows for resentencing of existing death or life sentences meeting these criteria by December 31, 2025. This policy change limits maximum penalties based on the defendant's age and health conditions at the time of the crime.

Maddy summaryHB 230 creates a Louisiana income tax credit for motor vehicle manufacturers and their suppliers. It allows qualifying businesses to reduce their state tax bill by 0.5% to 2.5% of the cost of eligible manufacturing equipment (based on its IRS depreciation schedule), capped at $10 million per year. Unused credit amounts can be carried forward for up to 10 years. The credit applies only to businesses classified as motor vehicle manufacturers (NAICS 31-33) or suppliers of components/services for that industry, and expires for taxable years after 2031. The bill takes effect January 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 551 creates an annual sales tax exemption in Louisiana for specific educational items purchased on the first Saturday of August each year. It exempts consumers from paying state and local sales tax on computers (under $500), clothing, footwear, school supplies, backpacks, and learning materials like books or educational software. The exemption applies only to purchases meeting strict price limits ($500 for computers, $50 for other items) during this single annual sales tax holiday, effective starting August 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 110 creates the Southern University Uterine Fibroids Research Center at Louisiana's Southern University system. The center will conduct research on uterine fibroid causes and prevention, educate the public about findings, and provide non-specialist health services. It will be run by the university's governing board and funded through legislative appropriations, federal grants, donations, or other sources. The center is scheduled to begin operations in the Fall 2025 semester.

Maddy summaryHB 11, titled "The Segus Jolivette Act," would change sentencing for repeat violent offenders in Louisiana. It requires that for a third conviction of a felony crime of violence (defined under state law), offenders receive at least 50% of the maximum sentence for a first offense; for a fourth or subsequent conviction, it mandates at least 75% of that maximum. The bill also requires juries to decide facts that increase penalties (other than prior convictions) before sentencing, rather than leaving that determination solely to judges. This directly affects individuals convicted multiple times of violent crimes, altering both the minimum sentences they face and the process for determining penalty levels. The bill is currently pending in committee review.

Maddy summaryHB 5 requires Louisiana public school systems to use savings from the Teachers' Retirement System to provide permanent salary increases for teachers and other school employees starting in the 2025-2026 school year. Certificated staff, such as teachers and administrators, must receive at least a $2,000 raise, while non-certificated staff, including aides and clerical workers, must receive at least $1,000. The bill mandates that these salary increases include associated retirement costs and applies to employees on specific leaves, such as military or maternity leave, provided they remain in their approved positions. If a school district does not have enough savings to cover the full amount of these raises, the remaining cost is to be funded through the state's minimum foundation program formula. Additionally, the legislation clarifies that charter schools participating in the state retirement system must also comply with these salary increase requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 888 is a procedural amendment that removes the word "authorities" from a specific line in the Social Work Licensure Compact legislation. This change does not alter the actual rules or requirements for social workers but serves as a minor text correction within the bill. The amendment affects the legislative record of the compact, which governs how social workers can practice across state lines, but it does not create new obligations or rights for practitioners.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies the membership structure of the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement and Administration of Criminal Justice by adjusting the representation for Jefferson Parish. Specifically, it changes the requirement so that one member will be selected from Jefferson Parish, while the total number of members from that parish is reduced from two to one. This amendment directly affects the commission's composition by altering how many commissioners represent that specific parish. The change is a procedural adjustment to the committee's makeup rather than a new policy initiative.