Rep. Sylvia Taylor

Maddy summaryThis resolution asks the Louisiana Department of Education and the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to stop using specific "edu-tainment" videos in classrooms. It targets content from the nonprofit PragerU, which the bill claims promotes discriminatory and anti-Semitic viewpoints alongside conservative political messages. The measure cites examples of videos that present contested historical claims and criticize social movements, arguing these materials conflict with the state's goal of providing a just and humane learning environment. Because this is a non-binding request rather than a law, it urges state officials to review and potentially ban these resources without creating new legal mandates.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the legal timeline for filing lawsuits related to the abuse of minors by removing references to a previous 2021 law. The primary change involves deleting specific citations from the text, which effectively updates how the statute is referenced without altering the core prescriptive period itself. By streamlining the legal language, the bill ensures the current rules for these cases remain clear and consistent with existing statutes.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a concurrent resolution that asks state agencies and local partners to create and promote apprenticeship programs specifically designed for high school students. It directs the Department of Education and the Workforce Commission to work with school boards and business groups to develop these opportunities, which combine classroom learning with paid on-the-job training. The legislation requires these entities to submit a written report by January 16, 2025, detailing their findings and recommendations for improving how young people access career training.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies child support guidelines to give judges more flexibility in determining support amounts based on the specific needs and circumstances of the child and parents involved. It mandates that support orders must be at least as high as the standard schedule but allows courts to order a portion of the payment into a special trust fund for the child's education or medical expenses. These funds would be managed by a trustee until the child turns twenty-four, with strict rules to prevent the money from being spent prematurely. The changes aim to ensure that long-term financial security for children is built into support agreements while maintaining a minimum baseline for immediate support.

Maddy summaryHB 578 amends the Back on Track Youth Pilot Program by updating terminology to refer to "children" and "youths" instead of "juveniles" throughout the text. The bill also clarifies that the program falls under the jurisdiction of both the Department of Education and the Louisiana Commission on Children and Youth. Additionally, it defines "youth or youths" as any person who has not yet reached the age of eighteen. These changes are primarily linguistic and definitional, ensuring consistent language across the program's administration.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates specialty license plates in New Orleans dedicated to wildlife rehabilitation efforts. The plates will generate revenue, with the funds specifically designated to provide grants to licensed wildlife rehabilitators and centers through the NOLA Wildlife Center. The legislation also adjusts the number of plates available and clarifies the name of the organization receiving the money.

Maddy summaryHB 927 is a minor amendment that modifies the wording of a law regarding permits issued by parishes and municipalities. The change removes the phrase "and whose account" and replaces it with "that" in a section dealing with utility providers. This adjustment clarifies the language used when describing specific permit requirements but does not alter the substantive rules or the entities affected. The bill is currently in the legislative process and has been favorably reported by its committee.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all public schools in Louisiana to adopt a single, uniform ten-point grading scale for assigning letter grades. Under the new rules, a score of 90 to 100 earns an A, 80 to 89 earns a B, 70 to 79 earns a C, 60 to 69 earns a D, and 0 to 59 earns an F. While this standard applies to most public schools, it explicitly excludes schools operated by the U.S. Department of Defense on military installations and does not apply to charter schools, which remain exempt from this specific mandate. The legislation also removes the previous requirement for the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to oversee the implementation of a grading scale.

Maddy summaryThis resolution asks the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development to investigate road safety issues at specific intersections along U.S. Highway 61 in St. John the Baptist Parish. The request focuses on areas with high accident rates, such as Carrollwood Drive, Belle Point Boulevard, and Belle Terre Boulevard, where aging infrastructure and traffic conflicts have led to fatalities. The study aims to evaluate the need for improvements like better lighting, pedestrian crossings, and sidewalk or bicycle lanes to enhance safety for drivers and walkers. If the department finds problems, it must submit a report of its findings to the state legislature by January 3, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 277 prohibits smoking inside a vehicle when a minor is present. The bill clarifies that the ban applies to any act of smoking, including inhaling, exhaling, burning, or carrying lit tobacco products. This law directly affects drivers and passengers who have minors in the car, requiring them to ensure no smoking occurs at any time. By defining specific actions like inhaling and exhaling as violations, the legislation aims to eliminate secondhand smoke exposure for children in automobiles.