Rep. Michael Melerine

Maddy summaryHB 34 revises how medical expenses are handled in civil lawsuits, impacting claimants seeking recovery for medical costs and parties involved in trials. It limits the recovery of medical expenses to amounts considered reasonable for the claim. The bill allows any party to introduce evidence of both the billed and paid amounts for medical services. Furthermore, agreements between healthcare providers and third parties, such as letters of protection with attorneys, will be admissible as evidence to ensure transparency.

Maddy summaryHR 54 is a resolution that commends the Louisiana State University in Shreveport (LSUS) baseball team for its record-breaking start to the 2025 season, including their undefeated 44-0 record and their Number 1 ranking in the NAIA. It formally recognizes the team's athletic achievements.

Maddy summaryThis resolution formally commends Louisiana State University in Shreveport (LSUS) for its contributions to northwestern Louisiana and the entire state. It recognizes LSUS's growth, educational programs, and positive impact on student success and social mobility.

Maddy summaryHR 20 is a resolution that expresses the condolences of the House of Representatives upon the death of Steven "Steve" Joseph Miguez. It acknowledges his life, business career, competitive shooting achievements, and family.

Maddy summaryHR 8 is a resolution requesting the Louisiana Department of Education to submit annual reports on standardized testing administration for high school students. It specifically requires data on the ACT, WorkKeys, and ASVAB tests, broken down by school district, student demographics, and diploma type (university or career). The reports must cover test participation rates, whether students took multiple tests, and the impact of recent law changes (Act 635) on testing requirements. These reports are due starting in 2025, with the first covering 2022-2025 school years. The resolution aims to inform legislators about testing practices without changing existing requirements.

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 summaryHB 200 amends the workers' compensation law to clarify how insurers can collect premiums for past policy periods. The bill specifically allows insurance companies to modify or complete payroll audits more than three years after a policy ends, but only in cases involving fraud, court-ordered reclassifications, or disputes over previous audits. Additionally, the legislation ensures that insurers are not required to return premiums if they discover relevant new information after an audit has already been finished. These changes directly affect insurance providers and businesses that have paid workers' compensation premiums, aiming to provide clearer rules for handling late premium collections and audit adjustments.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies how courts calculate payments for medical costs in personal injury cases where a defendant's insurance has already paid part of the bill. It allows the injured party to receive an additional award equal to 40% of the difference between the original medical bill and the amount actually paid by health insurance or Medicare, intended to cover the cost of obtaining that care. However, the court must reduce this extra payment if the defendant can prove that paying it would be unreasonable. The change applies specifically to civil lawsuits and affects how judges determine final compensation amounts in these disputes.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends state laws to limit the liability of the Louisiana Insurance Guaranty Association and the Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corporation in property insurance disputes. Specifically, it prevents these entities from being sued as part of a class action and restricts the amount of damages they can be ordered to pay. Additionally, the legislation mandates that property insurance rates for 2025 and later must be at least ten percent higher than the highest rates charged by other insurers in the same area, with some exceptions for specific zones. These changes aim to shield these two organizations from certain legal penalties and ensure higher insurance premiums for policyholders in the coming years.