Rep. Stephanie Berault

Maddy summaryHB 149 designates a specific segment of United States Highway 190 Business East in Slidell, Louisiana (from Beech Avenue/Interstate 10 Service Road to Military Road) as the "Senior Police Officer Trevor Abney Memorial Highway." The bill requires the Louisiana Department of Transportation to install and maintain signage for this designation only if local or private funds cover the costs (up to $2,250 per sign). This is a purely ceremonial bill with no substantive policy changes, solely honoring a police officer through road naming.

Maddy summaryHB 286 repeals existing Louisiana law (R.S. 33:7728) governing the St. Tammany Parish Mosquito Abatement District. The bill removes the district's independent authority to control its own spending, prohibits it from extending services beyond its defined boundaries, and ends its ability to cover certain employee health insurance claims. These changes directly affect the St. Tammany Mosquito Abatement District by altering its operational powers and financial management. The bill does not create new services or funding but modifies the district's legal framework.

Maddy summarySB 376, the "Learn and Earn Act," creates a new program allowing Louisiana public high schools to partner with businesses for paid, credit-bearing work-based learning opportunities. It requires school boards to establish career practicums through written agreements with businesses that ensure fair value exchange (e.g., businesses provide equivalent benefit for school resources used) and align with state-approved career pathways. The program directly affects high school students - especially in rural or underserved communities - by offering compensated job training in fields like healthcare or technology while meeting educational requirements. Key provisions mandate that these practicums operate exclusively within defined instructional boundaries, prioritize student safety/supervision, and integrate financial literacy and employability skills.

Maddy summaryHB 346 renames a specific section of U.S. Highway 171 in Florien, Louisiana (from Louisiana Highway 118 to Sandra Lane) as the "Speaker Joe Salter Memorial Highway." The bill directs the Louisiana Department of Transportation to install signage for this redesignation, provided local or private funds cover the department's actual costs (up to $750 per sign). This is a procedural naming bill with no substantive policy changes affecting residents, programs, or funding. It solely honors Speaker Joe Salter through a highway designation.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a new system called CARE Accounts to manage future medical payments awarded in personal injury cases. When a court orders compensation for future medical expenses, those funds must be placed in a special money market account owned by the person who caused the injury but controlled for the injured person's benefit. The account can only be used to pay for medically necessary treatments and services, though the bank does not verify each transaction. Any money left in the account after the injured person dies returns to the person who caused the injury. The law will not apply to cases filed before it takes effect on January 1, 2027.

Maddy summaryHB 437 modifies Louisiana law to require detailed disclosures from expert witnesses in civil cases. It prohibits experts with a financial stake in the case outcome (like prior payment for similar testimony) from testifying, defining "pecuniary interest" broadly. The bill mandates written reports including compensation details, past cases where the expert had financial ties, qualifications, and testimony history to ensure transparency. This directly affects parties, attorneys, and expert witnesses in civil litigation by standardizing disclosure requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 739 amends Louisiana insurance laws to clarify definitions and procedures related to insurance fraud. It defines "business of insurance" to include sales, claims resolution, and advertising, while excluding licensed lawyers and healthcare advocates assisting patients. The bill specifies that criminal fraud investigations must be handled by law enforcement or prosecutors, not insurance fraud offices, though the office may assist with consent. It also maintains the commissioner's role in overseeing unfair trade practices affecting the insurance industry.

Maddy summaryHB 15 corrects payment errors in Louisiana's Assessors' Retirement Fund. If a mistake causes a retiree to receive too little (underpayment), the fund must add interest at its valuation rate. If a retiree received too much (overpayment), the fund can recover the excess by reducing future benefits, but must notify the retiree 30 days in advance. This directly affects retirees whose benefit calculations contained administrative errors. The bill takes effect upon gubernatorial approval or legislative override of a veto.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows Louisiana distilleries to ship alcoholic beverages to other distilleries owned by the same company for on-premises or off-premises sale. The law requires the transferring distillery to produce at least 4,000 gallons annually and limits transfers to 50% of the receiving facility's monthly production capacity. Companies must pay a set fee to use wholesalers for these transfers and remain responsible for paying all applicable state and local taxes on the products. The legislation applies only to distilleries operating entirely within Louisiana that hold in-state manufacturer permits.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a formal request from the Louisiana House of Representatives asking the U.S. Congress to pass the SAVE America Act, which would require voters to show identification at federal election polling places. The resolution argues that voter ID laws help prevent fraud and increase public trust in elections, noting that 36 states already have similar requirements. It does not directly change any laws or affect voters immediately, but rather serves as a non-binding recommendation to federal lawmakers. The bill is a procedural measure expressing support for election integrity rather than implementing specific policy changes itself.