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 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 summaryHB 933 creates commemorative birth certificates for display, available for a $50 fee paid to the state. The state registrar keeps $20 for administration, and $30 goes to the Office on Women’s Health and Community Health. These certificates must include security features to prevent fraud and carry the same legal weight as certified birth records. The bill directly affects individuals seeking commemorative documents and state offices managing vital records.
Maddy summaryHB 1228 amends the regulations governing the Louisiana Board of Hearing Aid Dealers to update how dealers must notify consumers about their rights. The bill specifically changes the required method of notification to allow delivery via electronic mail in addition to traditional written forms. It also adjusts terminology related to tax calculations and simplifies the language used in the board's rules. These changes streamline administrative procedures for hearing aid dealers without altering the core requirements of the law.
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 210 makes the ethics provisions in Act No. 492 (2024) apply both to future cases and to past cases decided before this bill's effective date. It specifically states that these ethics rules will be applied retroactively, except for cases where the Board of Ethics or Ethics Adjudicatory Board has already issued a final decision before the bill takes effect. This bill directly affects public officials and ethics cases currently under review or pending before the Ethics Boards. The key mechanism is clarifying the retroactive application of Act No. 492's ethics code while excluding finalized cases from this change.
Maddy summaryHB 797 creates Louisiana's "Bayou Gold Program," which establishes a certification system for businesses offering gold- and silver-backed financial services. To qualify, businesses must store allocated precious metals (100% backed by physical metal held separately from their assets) in compliant depositories, allow physical redemption within five days, and maintain strict ownership transparency. The Louisiana Department of the Treasury will administer the program, maintain a public registry of certified businesses, and enforce penalties for false claims. The bill explicitly states it does not create state guarantees or operate a government-run financial system.
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.
Maddy summaryHB 730 prohibits using data from automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) systems - technology that tracks aircraft location, altitude, and speed - to calculate or collect fees from aircraft owners or operators in Louisiana. It directly affects pilots, airlines, and airport authorities by preventing the use of this surveillance data for billing purposes. The law allows airport authorities to set fees and enforce payments but bans fee calculations based on ADS-B data, with violations punishable by fines up to $500 per occurrence. This clarifies that ADS-B data, used for air traffic safety, cannot be monetized for aircraft-related charges.
Maddy summaryHB 403 changes Louisiana's food safety law to set a $30,100 annual sales threshold for home-based food sellers. It directly affects small home food businesses whose gross sales reach or exceed this amount, requiring them to comply with standard food safety regulations. The bill amends Section 4.9(B) of the state code to remove the exemption from the Sanitary Code for these sellers. This is a concrete policy change limiting the current exemption to businesses with lower sales volumes.