Maddy summarySB 43 establishes Louisiana's Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy Program within the Department of Health to fund clinical studies using psychedelic medications (like psilocybin) for treating opioid use disorders, co-occurring substance use disorders, and treatment-resistant mental health conditions. The program requires academic health centers to meet strict federal and state compliance standards - including FDA approval, safety protocols, and therapist qualifications - to conduct these studies. Eligible patients, including those with the specified conditions, may participate, and parishes can use opioid settlement funds to enroll residents. The bill mandates annual progress reports from participating centers and requires coordination with other states conducting similar research. This is a research-focused program, not a policy allowing general therapeutic use.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summarySB 237 requires schools in Louisiana to immediately report allegations of physical or sexual abuse against school employees to the state Department of Education. It creates a database tracking these reports and mandates schools check this database before hiring new employees to identify potential patterns of abuse. The bill also requires the Department of Children and Family Services to notify the state child ombudsman within three business days of child abuse or neglect fatalities or near-fatalities, including specific details like prior department involvement. Additionally, it directs the child ombudsman to notify legislators within 24 hours of any child death linked to abuse or neglect investigations. These provisions directly affect schools, school employees, child welfare agencies, and state legislators.
Maddy summaryThis bill increases survivor benefits for families of law enforcement officers and firefighters who die while performing their official duties. It establishes a base payment of $350,000 to the surviving spouse, or to the children or estate if no spouse exists, with an additional $50,000 for each dependent child. The law requires officers and firefighters to complete beneficiary designation forms and specifies that payments come from the state's Self-Insurance Fund. These changes take effect on July 1, 2026, and apply to deaths resulting from injuries sustained while protecting life and property during official activities.
Maddy summaryHB 401 designates the elevated section of U.S. Highway 190 over the Bogue Falaya River in Covington, St. Tammany Parish, as the "Corporal Justin D. McLeese Memorial Bridge" to honor a military corporal. The bill requires the Louisiana Department of Transportation to install signage reflecting this name, using local or private funds to cover costs up to $2,250 per sign. This is a ceremonial naming bill with no substantive policy changes, solely commemorating an individual through a public infrastructure designation.
Maddy summaryThis bill re-establishes the Department of Public Service in Louisiana and sets a long-term sunset date for its existence. It directs the department to be recreated on June 30, 2026, and requires all its statutory authority to end by July 1, 3031, unless the legislature extends it earlier. The law also updates the state's sunset provisions to include the department and any agencies within it, ensuring they will automatically expire after 55 years unless renewed. This change affects the department's legal framework and requires future legislative action to maintain the agency beyond its automatic termination date.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires all K-12 school employees in Louisiana to immediately report any threats of violence or terrorism to local law enforcement and, if applicable, to the school administrator. It also mandates that law enforcement agencies forward these threat reports to the state's Louisiana Fusion Center within seven days, while protecting the privacy of students and individuals who made the reports. Additionally, the bill establishes a program where the Fusion Center will conduct free physical security assessments of public schools every three years starting in 2027, with optional assessments available for charter and nonpublic schools. The assessments will identify safety vulnerabilities and provide nonbinding recommendations for improvements, but schools are not required to implement these suggestions and will be protected from liability regardless of their decisions.
Maddy summaryHB 719 mandates minimum staffing levels for assistant district attorneys (ADAs) across all 42 judicial districts in Louisiana, including Orleans Parish (New Orleans). The bill specifies exact minimum numbers - such as 35 ADAs for the First Judicial District and 83 for Orleans Parish - requiring district attorneys to appoint at least these numbers in each district. It also requires approval from the Governor’s Advisory and Review Commission on Assistant District Attorneys before implementation, with the changes taking effect on January 1, 2027. This bill directly affects district attorneys’ offices by setting enforceable staffing requirements, without altering legal procedures or creating new programs.
Maddy summaryHB 325 revises Louisiana's TOPS-Tech scholarship eligibility by adding a new pathway for students to qualify. Instead of requiring only a minimum GPA or ACT score, students can now qualify by completing at least nine credit hours of early college coursework (through dual enrollment or technical programs) or equivalent validated skills. This change applies to first-time freshmen enrolling in college during or after the 2026-2027 academic year. The bill directly affects Louisiana students seeking this career-focused scholarship by expanding how they can meet academic requirements.
Maddy summaryThis bill directs the United States Congress to collaborate on finding a cure for Sanfilippo Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder affecting children. The resolution calls for legislative action and support rather than establishing new funding or regulatory requirements. It was recently passed by the House of Representatives with unanimous support. The primary effect is a formal statement of intent to address this specific medical condition.
Maddy summaryThis concurrent resolution asks the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to study how flooding corn fields to attract ducks affects the migration patterns and population levels of waterfowl. The bill specifically targets hunters in Louisiana who intentionally flood standing crops, a practice the state believes may be altering natural bird routes and reducing the number of ducks reaching the region. It also requests that the federal agency reinstate previous rules that limited hunting over such flooded agricultural areas. This legislative action is non-binding and serves only to urge the federal government to conduct an evaluation and consider adjusting regulations accordingly.