Rep. Ken Brass

Maddy summaryHB 350 amends Louisiana law governing drainage district commissioners. It requires commissioners to own property worth at least $500 in the district or represent a corporation owning such property, and specifies that only parish governing authorities (like police juries) can appoint commissioners based on landowners' recommendations. The bill allows commissioners to serve in multiple districts without violating dual office rules and clarifies that landowners owning a majority of district acreage can petition for commissioner removal. These changes directly affect drainage district commissioners and landowners in Louisiana's drainage districts.

Maddy summaryHB 398 increases the Louisiana tax on smokeless tobacco from 20% to 33% of the invoice price. It creates the Youth Cessation and Prevention Fund, dedicating 20% of the new tax revenue to this special fund in the state treasury. The fund will allocate 40% to the Louisiana Cancer Research Center, 40% to the Louisiana Department of Health’s Well-Ahead Louisiana Program, and 10% each to two cancer centers, all for evidence-based tobacco prevention and cessation programs targeting youth and adults. The tax increase applies to smokeless tobacco purchased after July 1, 2025, with inventory reporting required for dealers before that date.

Maddy summaryHB 5 requires Louisiana public school systems to use savings from the Teachers' Retirement System to provide permanent salary increases for teachers and other school employees starting in the 2025-2026 school year. Certificated staff, such as teachers and administrators, must receive at least a $2,000 raise, while non-certificated staff, including aides and clerical workers, must receive at least $1,000. The bill mandates that these salary increases include associated retirement costs and applies to employees on specific leaves, such as military or maternity leave, provided they remain in their approved positions. If a school district does not have enough savings to cover the full amount of these raises, the remaining cost is to be funded through the state's minimum foundation program formula. Additionally, the legislation clarifies that charter schools participating in the state retirement system must also comply with these salary increase requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Louisiana's sales and use tax laws to include a broader range of digital products and services, such as prewritten computer software and information services, within the taxable base. It directly affects businesses that sell or use these digital items, expanding the scope of transactions subject to state tax. The legislation also establishes specific exemptions for digital products used by FDIC-insured financial institutions and licensed healthcare facilities for storing, transmitting, or analyzing sensitive data. By amending existing tax statutes, the bill aims to ensure that modern digital transactions are taxed consistently with traditional goods and services.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies the membership structure of the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement and Administration of Criminal Justice by adjusting the representation for Jefferson Parish. Specifically, it changes the requirement so that one member will be selected from Jefferson Parish, while the total number of members from that parish is reduced from two to one. This amendment directly affects the commission's composition by altering how many commissioners represent that specific parish. The change is a procedural adjustment to the committee's makeup rather than a new policy initiative.

Maddy summaryHB 872 is a procedural amendment bill that modifies the text of an existing education-related measure by adding a specific subsection labeled "(D)" to two separate lines. The legislation does not introduce new policies or services but instead updates the structure of a bill concerning behavioral health services for students. Because this is a technical change to the bill's language rather than a standalone policy proposal, it does not directly affect students or schools on its own. The amendment was passed by the committee and is moving through the legislative process to be added to the parent bill.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends an existing law regarding carbon dioxide sequestration on state lands and water bottoms in Louisiana. Its primary function is to add the word "Louisiana" to several sections of the original text to ensure the legislation applies specifically to that state. The bill does not introduce new policies or funding mechanisms but rather clarifies the geographic scope of current regulations.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires local public school boards in Louisiana to mandate that school nurses complete at least one hour of training on sickle cell disease. The training must cover symptoms, treatments, and specific accommodations for students, using instructional materials developed by the Louisiana Sickle Cell Commission. Additionally, the law extends this mandatory sickle cell training requirement to school nurses employed by charter schools, ensuring consistent education across different types of public schools.

Maddy summaryHB 940 authorizes the state to issue bonds to fund deferred maintenance projects for colleges and universities under an existing capital improvement program. The bill allows the Office of Facility Planning and Control to retain up to one percent of project costs for administrative expenses and permits university boards to approve smaller projects under one million dollars if they determine it is cost-efficient. It also updates the maximum funding limit for these projects from one hundred eighty-one million dollars to two billion dollars and clarifies the timeline for legislative approval. These changes directly affect state higher education institutions by providing a financial mechanism to address necessary repairs and upgrades.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires physicians and physician assistants to complete one hour of continuing education on treating sickle cell disease, a requirement that was originally set at three hours but was reduced by an amendment. The legislation also mandates that the educational materials used for this training be made available on the state board's website for public access. These changes directly affect medical professionals who treat patients with sickle cell disease by updating their training obligations and improving resource availability.