Rep. Dodie Horton

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 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 summaryHB 4 allows Louisiana parishes (local governments) to decide whether carbon dioxide storage wells (Class VI injection wells) can operate within their boundaries. Parishes may choose this through a local council resolution or by holding a parish-wide election requiring a 15% voter petition to trigger a vote, with results binding if a majority supports or opposes the wells. If an election is held, its outcome overrides any prior parish council decision and remains in effect for five years. This bill directly affects parishes and residents by shifting permitting authority from state agencies to local communities for these specific wells.

Maddy summaryHB 11, titled "The Segus Jolivette Act," would change sentencing for repeat violent offenders in Louisiana. It requires that for a third conviction of a felony crime of violence (defined under state law), offenders receive at least 50% of the maximum sentence for a first offense; for a fourth or subsequent conviction, it mandates at least 75% of that maximum. The bill also requires juries to decide facts that increase penalties (other than prior convictions) before sentencing, rather than leaving that determination solely to judges. This directly affects individuals convicted multiple times of violent crimes, altering both the minimum sentences they face and the process for determining penalty levels. The bill is currently pending in committee review.

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 854 amends existing rules for the state wildlife rehabilitation program by extending a specific time limit from one day to two days and requiring that a notice be included in a particular process. These changes adjust procedural requirements for individuals or organizations working with injured wildlife to ensure they have adequate time and proper documentation. The bill does not create new programs or alter funding but instead refines how current regulations are applied to rehabilitation efforts.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Louisiana judicial districts to submit daily reports to the state Supreme Court starting January 1, 2025, detailing the status of all criminal cases. The reports must include specific data points such as the date prosecution began, the date of the final court decision, and the total number of days between those two events. Additionally, the Supreme Court will compile a yearly summary of this information, broken down by district, to be included in its annual report. The legislation also mandates that these reports follow a standard format and practice set by the Supreme Court.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies the requirements for health monitoring for members of the Division of State Police who are exposed to occupational hazards. It removes the mandate for annual examinations and replaces it with a requirement for medical and audiological checks to occur every five years. These changes directly affect the frequency of health screenings provided to state police officers but do not alter the requirement that such screenings take place.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits government agencies and businesses from requiring employees or students to receive COVID-19 vaccines or take experimental drugs that lack full FDA approval. It also bans mandates for wearing face coverings to prevent the spread of the virus. However, the law includes specific exceptions for healthcare facilities, nursing homes, correctional institutions, and other medical settings where federal guidelines require vaccination. Additionally, the state attorney general has the authority to seek court orders to stop any entity that violates these new restrictions.