Rep. Joy Walters

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the city of Shreveport to provide quarterly reports to the House Committee on Health and Welfare regarding its efforts to improve its failing drinking water grade. The legislation also requires the secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health to submit these updates alongside the city's reports. By mandating regular communication, the bill aims to increase transparency about the steps being taken to address water quality issues in Shreveport.

Maddy summaryThis resolution asks the Louisiana Department of Conservation and Energy and the Department of Environmental Quality to assess the safety of drinking water in Shreveport. The request is driven by the city's recent failing water quality grades and concerns about aging infrastructure and past environmental violations. State agencies are asked to review the water system's condition and submit written recommendations to the House Committee by November 1, 2026, with a follow-up report due before the 2027 legislative session.

Maddy summaryThis legislative resolution urges the city of Shreveport to partner with various local organizations to advance the Southern Soul City initiative, which aims to promote the region's music history and boost tourism. The bill outlines a plan to create specific cultural assets, including a museum, a recording academy, airport exhibits, a street walk of fame, murals, and a dedicated history month, while establishing a framework for arts-related historic preservation incentives. It requires the Southern Soul Foundation to work with city officials and other partners by October 2026 to implement these projects and mandates annual progress reports to state tourism officials through 2028.

Maddy summaryThis resolution asks the city of Shreveport to establish an interest-free loan program for Transportation Security Administration agents working at the Shreveport Regional Airport. The request is based on a federal government shutdown that began in February 2026, during which these security employees continue working without pay. The bill cites Maryland's similar program as a model for providing financial assistance to essential workers during government shutdowns. It is a non-binding request rather than a law, meaning the city of Shreveport is not required to act on it. The resolution directs copies to the mayor, city council, and Caddo Parish Commission for their consideration.

Maddy summarySB 404 is a technical amendment bill that makes minor corrections to the text of an existing eye care law. The bill does not introduce new policies or programs but instead fixes specific wording errors in the statute to ensure legal clarity. These changes include correcting pronoun references, removing incomplete sentences, and updating terminology from "agreeance" to "agreement." The legislation directly affects eye care providers by refining the language of regulations they must follow, though it does not alter their obligations or rights.

Maddy summarySB 32 establishes the Perinatal Bereavement Care Initiative within Louisiana's Department of Health to improve support for families experiencing pregnancy loss or infant death. The bill requires hospitals providing maternity care to receive staff training on supporting grieving parents, access to bereavement resources (like counseling referrals), and perinatal bereavement devices. It prioritizes hospitals serving high-risk patients, delivering many babies, or lacking current bereavement resources. The initiative can fund these services using voluntary monies, including federal grants and donations, without imposing new taxes.

Maddy summaryHB 112 clarifies how distance is calculated when a parent seeks to relocate a child more than 75 miles from the other parent's residence under Louisiana custody law. It specifies that miles must be measured by the shortest distance on navigable roads between the child's current principal residence and the proposed new location. This applies to custody cases involving relocation within Louisiana, excluding situations where parents have a written agreement or a protective order (like a domestic violence restraining order) is in place. The bill directly affects parents seeking to move with their child and courts reviewing such requests, effective January 1, 2027.

Maddy summaryHB 203 amends Louisiana law to specify that the Uterine Fibroids Commission must include one member from the Christus Health System Xavier Ochsner College of Medicine. This procedural bill defines the commission's membership structure without creating new health services or policy changes. It directly affects the composition of the existing commission established under R.S. 40:1104(B)(3). The bill is currently in early stages of consideration (prefiled, referred to Health and Welfare Committee).

Maddy summaryThis bill designates two specific segments of Louisiana Highway 182 as memorial highways: the portion in Jeanerette between Hubertville Road and Canal Street as the "Berwick 'BJ' LeJeune, Jr. Memorial Highway," and the segment between Jeanerette and Sorrel (from LA 671 to LA 318) as the "Ret. Judge Richard T. 'Dickey' Haik, Sr. Memorial Highway." It requires the Department of Transportation to install signage for these designations, funded entirely by local or private contributions covering costs up to $750 per sign. The bill has no substantive policy changes beyond naming these highway sections and establishing a cost-recovery mechanism for signage.

Maddy summaryHB 636, the "Caleb Wilson Hazing Prevention Act," requires Louisiana public colleges and universities to prevent, report, and respond to hazing involving student organizations. It defines hazing broadly (including physical brutality, dangerous activities, or substance consumption) and mandates annual hazing education for all students starting fall 2027, plus specific orientation education for new students. The bill also requires student organizations to report hazing incidents to both law enforcement and their institution, and institutions must document all actions and share full details with law enforcement. These provisions directly affect public postsecondary institutions, their students, and all student organizations, including fraternities, sororities, and clubs.