Rep. Kellee Hennessy

Maddy summaryHB 62 amends Louisiana law to increase the membership of the Louisiana Women's Policy and Research Commission from 25 to 26 members. It adds a new requirement for the commission to include thirteen Louisiana women with significant academic or professional expertise in specified policy areas, appointed by the governor with Senate confirmation. The bill makes a structural change to the commission's composition but does not alter the commission's duties or create new policy obligations. This is a procedural adjustment to membership rules, not a substantive policy change.

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 summaryThis bill increases penalties for committing arson against religious buildings in Louisiana. It directly affects individuals charged with setting fire to places of worship and law enforcement officials who prosecute such cases. The law establishes minimum prison sentences of two years without parole for simple arson, with a maximum of 30 years, and sets higher penalties of 12 to 30 years without parole if the fire causes injury or death. These provisions apply to anyone convicted of the crime under the amended state statutes.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism to study the feasibility of creating a museum and trail dedicated to the Louisiana Maneuvers, a series of large-scale military exercises from 1940 and 1941. The study must be conducted in consultation with the Louisiana State Museum and the National WWII Museum and will examine potential locations, estimated costs, the inclusion of conference space, and the possibility of affiliating the new museum with the National WWII Museum. The department is required to submit a written report of its findings and recommendations to state legislative committees by March 1, 2027. This resolution focuses on planning and research rather than immediately funding or constructing the facility.

Maddy summaryThis bill requests the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to update science and health education standards to include the science of human growth and development, specifically covering prenatal growth and fetal development. It asks the board to provide age-appropriate instructional materials, such as high-definition ultrasound videos or computer-generated animations, on its website to support teaching these topics. The resolution also requires the board to submit a written report to state education committees by March 1, 2027, detailing any actions taken in response to these requests. This is a non-binding concurrent resolution that urges the board to consider these changes rather than mandating them.

Maddy summaryHB 74 proposes creating a "Spectrum Alert" system in Louisiana to assist law enforcement in locating children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who go missing. The bill requires the Department of Public Safety to develop a public notification system that verifies a child’s missing status, issues community alerts via text/email/flyers, and coordinates with private entities. It also mandates specialized training for officers on ASD responses and de-escalation tactics, while granting legal immunity to participating law enforcement, broadcasters, and others. The bill directly affects children with ASD, their families, and law enforcement agencies across Louisiana.

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.