Rep. Tehmi Chassion

Maddy summaryHB 1157 authorizes funding for infrastructure projects within the Department of Transportation and Development, directly impacting the entities that receive these resources. The bill includes several technical amendments that adjust legal phrasing, renumber specific clauses, and modify the duration of certain obligations from "Perpetual" to "Maintain perpetual." These changes refine the administrative structure and language of the funding provisions without altering the core purpose of providing financial support for transportation initiatives.

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.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Louisiana's newborn hearing screening laws to modernize terminology and strengthen protections for infants with hearing loss. It establishes a formal Bill of Rights for deaf and hard-of-hearing children, ensuring they have access to adult role models and meaningful involvement in programs affecting their education. The legislation creates or updates an advisory council to oversee screening procedures, define hearing loss categories, and guide early intervention services. By clarifying definitions and expanding the legal framework, the bill aims to improve early detection and support for infants at risk of hearing disabilities.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the Louisiana Commission on Fatherhood Engagement within the governor's office to promote responsible fatherhood and support fathers across the state. The commission will consist of 16 members representing various state agencies, elected officials, community organizations, and faith groups, who will serve two-year terms without pay. Its main duties include raising awareness about fatherhood challenges, coordinating programs that help fathers build parenting skills and access employment services, organizing a state summit every four years, and submitting annual reports to the legislature with funding requests. The commission will focus on improving father involvement in child custody proceedings, supporting incarcerated fathers, and collecting better data on fatherhood engagement across state agencies. The law will remain in effect until January 1, 2031.

Maddy summaryThis bill, SB 409, aims to protect employees who donate organs by preventing employers from discriminating against them or retaliating after the donation. It directly affects workers who become living organ donors and their employers. The legislation establishes specific protections to ensure these employees do not face adverse employment actions related to their donation. By amending the bill text, it clarifies the structure of these protections within the existing labor framework. The measure focuses on creating a clear legal safeguard for organ donors in the workplace without predicting specific outcomes.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires that children enrolled in certain early childhood education programs receive unique identification numbers assigned by the state Department of Education. The key provision mandates that local public school boards link these early childhood education identification numbers to students' regular student identification numbers by December 31, 2027, specifically for research and analysis purposes. The legislation applies to prekindergarten programs at public schools and aims to improve data tracking across early childhood education systems.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies the eligibility criteria for property tax exemptions available to seniors in Louisiana. It allows certain trusts to qualify for ad valorem tax exemptions on behalf of property owners who are at least sixty-five years old or older. The amendment specifically updates the legal reference to align with the Regular Session of the legislature. This change directly affects elderly homeowners and their trust arrangements, potentially reducing their property tax burden. The bill does not alter the fundamental structure of the exemption but adjusts the procedural language governing its application.

Maddy summaryHB 251 requires Louisiana trial courts to hold a "contradictory hearing" and allow victims (or their families if the victim is deceased or disabled) to make a statement before granting any motion to vacate a final conviction or resentence an imprisoned person to a lesser sentence. The bill mandates that courts provide written notice of such motions to victims and their families, ensuring they can participate in the process. Any motion granted without this hearing or notice is automatically void, and pending appeals may be remanded for the court to consider the victim's input. This bill directly affects victims of crimes and their families in criminal resentencing cases, adding a procedural step to protect their right to be heard.

Maddy summaryHB 233 updates Louisiana's jury duty compensation by setting a minimum mileage reimbursement rate of 16 cents per mile for jurors traveling to court, while aligning the maximum rate with the current rate paid to state officials. This change directly affects jurors in Louisiana courts, ensuring they receive consistent travel reimbursement for attending trials. The bill amends existing law (R.S. 13:3049(B)(1)(b)) to clarify that mileage allowances must be at least 16 cents per mile but cannot exceed the state officials' rate. It does not alter daily pay ($25 per day) or other compensation terms.

Maddy summaryHB 217 allows Louisiana parishes to optionally offer property tax exemptions for blighted or derelict properties that have been rehabilitated. If a parish adopts this exemption, it would provide up to 75% tax relief on residential properties for up to 20 years, or up to 25% relief on adjacent unimproved land for up to 10 years, subject to specific rehabilitation standards. Parishes must establish application processes, approval criteria, and revocation rules for property owners who hold title to qualifying rehabilitated properties. The exemption applies only to properties meeting the bill's definitions of "blighted" (court-declared public nuisance) or "derelict" (structurally unsafe, fire hazards, or dangerous conditions). The policy would take effect for tax years starting January 1, 2027, pending a constitutional amendment approval.