Rep. Ken Brass

Maddy summaryHB 354 renames the Magnolia Bridge (on Louisiana Highway 64 over the Amite River between East Baton Rouge and Livingston Parishes) as the "Caleb Easterling Memorial Bridge." The bill requires the Department of Transportation to install signage reflecting this name, with costs covered by local or private funds not exceeding $750 per sign. This is a purely commemorative measure with no policy changes or direct impact on residents or services.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a formal resolution expressing the Louisiana Legislature's condolences to the family of former State Senator Louis J. Lambert Jr. following his death. It honors his extensive public service career, which included roles as a Senate leader, Public Service Commission member, and gubernatorial candidate. The resolution also records the state's gratitude for his contributions and directs a copy of the document to be sent to his family.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies the licensing requirements for Type III early learning centers in Louisiana. Specifically, it clarifies that the state department cannot require licensing for prekindergarten programs run by public or nonpublic schools that are already approved under existing state laws. The legislation directly affects private and religious schools operating prekindergarten classes, ensuring they are not subject to duplicate licensing rules if they meet current educational standards. By removing the option to license these specific programs, the bill streamlines regulations for schools already operating under a recognized approval process.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a formal request from the Louisiana legislature to the U.S. Congress and federal health agencies to speed up research and clinical trials for Acute Myeloid Leukemia. It does not create new laws or change funding directly but instead asks federal officials to prioritize efforts to develop better treatments for this aggressive blood cancer. The resolution also names these proposed research efforts the "Jonas A. Feeley Act" to honor a recent victim of the disease. Ultimately, the measure serves as a symbolic gesture to advocate for increased federal attention on improving survival rates for patients with this condition.

Maddy summaryHB 712 creates fee waivers for Class "E" driver's licenses and state identification cards for homeless individuals in Louisiana. It requires applicants to provide a letter from an approved entity (like a homeless shelter, healthcare provider, or school liaison) confirming homelessness, which includes people living at or below 100% of the federal poverty line. The waiver covers all fees for issuing, renewing, or replacing these credentials, but excludes individuals violating driver's license laws. This bill directly affects homeless residents seeking essential identification without cost.

Maddy summarySB 404 is a technical amendment bill that makes minor corrections to the text of an existing eye care law. The bill does not introduce new policies or programs but instead fixes specific wording errors in the statute to ensure legal clarity. These changes include correcting pronoun references, removing incomplete sentences, and updating terminology from "agreeance" to "agreement." The legislation directly affects eye care providers by refining the language of regulations they must follow, though it does not alter their obligations or rights.

Maddy summarySB 32 establishes the Perinatal Bereavement Care Initiative within Louisiana's Department of Health to improve support for families experiencing pregnancy loss or infant death. The bill requires hospitals providing maternity care to receive staff training on supporting grieving parents, access to bereavement resources (like counseling referrals), and perinatal bereavement devices. It prioritizes hospitals serving high-risk patients, delivering many babies, or lacking current bereavement resources. The initiative can fund these services using voluntary monies, including federal grants and donations, without imposing new taxes.

Maddy summarySB 34, "Bryan's Call," establishes clear rules for missing child alerts in Louisiana. It requires AMBER Alerts for children 17 or younger in immediate danger of serious harm or death, and Level II alerts for other missing children cases that don’t meet AMBER criteria. Local police must assess alert types, but state police make the final decision and provide required training for law enforcement on using these systems. The law also grants legal immunity to broadcasters, cable operators, and law enforcement for actions related to Level II alerts.

Maddy summaryHB 168 establishes a structured transitional reentry program in Louisiana for female parolees, administered by the Department of Public Safety and Corrections. It directly affects women who have served at least five years in prison, have no sex offense convictions, are within six months of release, have no recent disciplinary issues, and voluntarily agree to participate. The program aims to support their safe community reintegration through tailored preparation, requiring parole eligibility and adherence to department-established screening. This policy creates a formal pathway for eligible female parolees to access reentry services before release.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates two specific segments of Louisiana Highway 182 as memorial highways: the portion in Jeanerette between Hubertville Road and Canal Street as the "Berwick 'BJ' LeJeune, Jr. Memorial Highway," and the segment between Jeanerette and Sorrel (from LA 671 to LA 318) as the "Ret. Judge Richard T. 'Dickey' Haik, Sr. Memorial Highway." It requires the Department of Transportation to install signage for these designations, funded entirely by local or private contributions covering costs up to $750 per sign. The bill has no substantive policy changes beyond naming these highway sections and establishing a cost-recovery mechanism for signage.