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 summaryHB 352 requires Louisiana public school districts to create and publish policies enabling behavioral health services for students during school hours. It allows services in classrooms during instructional time (including core subjects) if parents provide a provider-approved evaluation and treatment plan showing medical necessity, with in-person supervision by certified behavior analysts required. The bill defines key terms like "medically necessary services" and mandates that schools collaborate with providers to schedule services without disrupting school operations or testing. It directly affects public school students needing behavioral health support, their parents, school administrators, and behavioral health providers.
Maddy summaryThis bill amends the text of a Senate resolution regarding the removal of judges for serious offenses like malfeasance or incompetence. The changes involve correcting a spelling error in the word "canons" and adding the preposition "of" to clarify the reference to United States laws. These adjustments do not alter the substantive policy or the process for addressing judicial misconduct but ensure the legislative document is accurate. The bill is currently in the final stages of passage after being referred to a committee and amended.
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 summaryThis bill amends Louisiana laws to increase penalties for hit-and-run driving when the accident results in death or serious injury. It specifically targets drivers who flee the scene after causing harm, with stricter sentences applied if the victim is a pedestrian or bicyclist. Under the new provisions, offenders face longer prison terms that must be served without parole, probation, or suspension of sentence, particularly if the driver has a prior record of drunk driving or vehicular homicide. The legislation also establishes that drivers who previously committed certain traffic offenses will receive even harsher mandatory minimum sentences for repeat hit-and-run incidents.
Maddy summarySB 42 amends Louisiana law to explicitly prohibit using artificial intelligence to create child sexual abuse materials, directly affecting individuals or entities generating such content through AI. The bill updates definitions to include "digitally generated, including by artificial intelligence" under "child sexual abuse materials" and expands "produce" to cover causing AI-generated content. It makes it illegal to create, distribute, or solicit child sexual abuse materials using AI tools, aligning with existing prohibitions on physical or non-AI generated materials. The law applies to all such content involving children under 17, treating AI-generated depictions as equally prohibited as traditional media. This is a substantive policy change adding AI to existing legal frameworks without altering enforcement mechanisms.
Maddy summaryHB 784 updates Louisiana's sex offender registration laws by expanding the definition of "sex offense" to include specific crimes like human trafficking (R.S. 14:46.2), certain deepfake violations (R.S. 14:73.13), and offenses against minors such as child pornography (R.S. 14:81.1) and molestation (R.S. 14:81.2). It requires individuals convicted of these offenses to register with law enforcement within three business days of establishing Louisiana residency. The bill also clarifies registration requirements for offenders convicted under other jurisdictions' laws and updates court notification forms. This affects anyone convicted of the specified offenses who must comply with Louisiana's registration system.
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 summaryHB 578, the "Restoring Biological Truth Act," amends Louisiana statutes to replace the term "gender" with "sex" in all legal references, defining "sex" as an individual's biological sex at birth (male or female). The bill specifically requires that "sex" be used instead of "gender" in civil codes, court documents, workforce reporting (e.g., R.S. 4:158.2), child custody forms (e.g., R.S. 13:1856), and diversity language for boards (e.g., R.S. 3:1493), while clarifying that gender identity cannot substitute for biological sex. It directly affects state agencies, courts, and organizations collecting demographic data or drafting legal documents. The bill does not create new restrictions but changes terminology across 50+ statutes to align with the defined biological sex standard.