Maddy summaryHB 492 creates the Governor's Task Force on Impaired Driving to coordinate state efforts against drunk and drugged driving. The task force, operating within the governor's office, will include 21 members from state agencies (like law enforcement and health departments), community organizations (such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving), and at least one victim or family member of an impaired driving incident. Its key duties include analyzing data on impaired driving arrests and crashes, identifying evidence-based solutions like ignition interlock devices, and coordinating strategies across state and local agencies. The task force must meet at least four times yearly, with decisions requiring majority approval, and will be chaired by the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission director.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThis bill removes the designation for the "Louisiana Dental Hygienists' Association" from the state's list of eligible organizations for special prestige license plates. By deleting the association's name from the relevant text, the legislation effectively cancels the creation of a specific license plate dedicated to dental hygienists. The change impacts vehicle owners who might have sought this plate and the association that was intended to receive it. Ultimately, the bill prevents the issuance of a custom plate for this group while leaving the general process for other special plates unchanged.
Maddy summarySB 125 increases compensation for people wrongfully convicted in Louisiana. It raises the annual payment rate from $25,000 to $40,000 per year incarcerated, with a new maximum total of $600,000 starting August 1, 2026 (up from $400,000 previously). It also allows those convicted before July 2022 to apply for supplemental payments (up to $40,000 annually) by August 1, 2027, and offers a $250,000 lump sum option for new claims filed after July 2022. The bill directly affects Louisiana residents who were wrongfully imprisoned and seek financial redress under state law.
Maddy summaryHB 321 creates legal protections for victims of human trafficking who committed prostitution-related offenses. It establishes an affirmative defense allowing victims (both minors and adults) to avoid prosecution for crimes like prostitution (R.S. 14:82) or solicitation (R.S. 14:83) if those acts resulted directly from trafficking. The bill also presumes children engaged in prostitution are trafficking victims, exempting them from prosecution and requiring referral to specialized services for sexually exploited children. Adults determined to be trafficking victims must be notified about available support services, while children automatically qualify for existing victim assistance programs under Louisiana law.
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 Louisiana Senate concurrent resolution asks the U.S. Congress to ensure that all individuals linked to the Jeffrey Epstein case are fully investigated, prosecuted, and held accountable for alleged crimes such as child sex trafficking and bribery. The bill specifically targets high-profile figures mentioned in recently released documents, including Ghislaine Maxwell, and calls for their names to be disclosed and legal actions to be taken through every available process. It does not create new laws or penalties but serves as a formal request to the federal government to pursue these cases aggressively. The measure is intended to address public concerns about accountability following the initial release of unclassified files related to Epstein and Maxwell.
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 summaryHB 143 increases the daily payment rate Louisiana's Department of Public Safety and Corrections pays to parish sheriffs for housing state inmates in local jails when the state cannot accept them. The bill sets specific rates: $25.39 per day for FY 2019-2020, $26.39 per day for FY 2020-2021 through FY 2026-2027, and $29.39 per day starting FY 2027-2028. It also requires the department to collaborate with sheriffs to update jail guidelines by December 2020, including treatment and educational programming for inmates. The bill directly affects parish sheriffs, local jails, and the state’s correctional budget.
Maddy summarySB 307 would authorize the display of the Ten Commandments as a historical monument on Louisiana State Capitol grounds, alongside other documents like the Mayflower Compact and the Declaration of Independence. The bill requires that such displays include context documents explaining their historical significance to the legal and cultural heritage of Louisiana and the U.S., and mandates that private donations fund the monument without state cost. It references Supreme Court rulings (Van Orden v. Perry and American Legion v. American Humanists Association) that permit religious historical displays on government property when privately funded. The commissioner of administration would oversee the installation, with the bill explicitly prohibiting state funding for the monument.
Maddy summaryHB 288 requires healthcare providers in Louisiana to include "miscarriage" in parentheses after "spontaneous abortion" in all medical records and billing documentation. This bill directly affects hospitals, clinics, and medical billing entities regulated under Louisiana law. The key provision mandates this terminology change for consistency in clinical records and billing systems, using plain language to clarify the medical term "spontaneous abortion" (referring to early pregnancy loss). The bill is procedural, focusing solely on standardizing medical documentation terminology without altering healthcare services or patient rights.