Rep. Joe Stagni

Maddy summarySB 125 increases compensation for people wrongfully convicted in Louisiana. It raises the annual payment rate from $25,000 to $40,000 per year incarcerated, with a new maximum total of $600,000 starting August 1, 2026 (up from $400,000 previously). It also allows those convicted before July 2022 to apply for supplemental payments (up to $40,000 annually) by August 1, 2027, and offers a $250,000 lump sum option for new claims filed after July 2022. The bill directly affects Louisiana residents who were wrongfully imprisoned and seek financial redress under state law.

Maddy summarySB 157 would require Louisiana public school districts to provide eligible educators with six weeks (240 hours) of paid parental leave at 100% of base pay for qualifying events like birth, adoption, foster placement, or pregnancy loss. This applies to full- or part-time school employees with at least one year of service, covering both parents who are eligible. Schools must adopt written policies, provide advance notice to employees about their rights, and prohibit counting this leave as an absence that could lead to disciplinary action. The bill does not override existing better benefits in union contracts or other laws but mandates this new standard for public school employees.

Maddy summaryThis Louisiana Senate concurrent resolution asks the U.S. Congress to ensure that all individuals linked to the Jeffrey Epstein case are fully investigated, prosecuted, and held accountable for alleged crimes such as child sex trafficking and bribery. The bill specifically targets high-profile figures mentioned in recently released documents, including Ghislaine Maxwell, and calls for their names to be disclosed and legal actions to be taken through every available process. It does not create new laws or penalties but serves as a formal request to the federal government to pursue these cases aggressively. The measure is intended to address public concerns about accountability following the initial release of unclassified files related to Epstein and Maxwell.

Maddy summarySB 143 requires Louisiana's Department of Public Safety to provide bulletproof vests to all "peace officers" (full-time state, municipal, sheriff, or public agency employees whose duties include enforcing laws and making arrests) upon request. It creates a dedicated "Special Protective Equipment Fund" to finance the vests, funded annually by $8.5 million from the state general fund starting July 2026, plus donations or grants. The bill mandates vests meet U.S. Department of Justice standards and must be wholly manufactured in countries part of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). This law directly affects all eligible law enforcement personnel by ensuring access to standardized protective gear through state-funded provisions.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates the Empower Louisiana Food Purchase Program, administered by the Louisiana Department of Health, to provide restricted-use food purchase cards through qualified nonprofit organizations. Nonprofits must be IRS 501(c)(3) entities that operate food assistance programs and agree to follow reporting requirements, with the program initially launched as a pilot in one region before expanding statewide. The program allows individuals to fund cards directly or for others, prohibits cash withdrawals, and operates separately from SNAP while matching its eligible food items. The department will generate annual transaction reports but will not audit charitable spending or access donor or recipient records, with a final evaluation report due by March 1, 2028.

Maddy summaryHB 354 renames the Magnolia Bridge (on Louisiana Highway 64 over the Amite River between East Baton Rouge and Livingston Parishes) as the "Caleb Easterling Memorial Bridge." The bill requires the Department of Transportation to install signage reflecting this name, with costs covered by local or private funds not exceeding $750 per sign. This is a purely commemorative measure with no policy changes or direct impact on residents or services.

Maddy summaryHB 738 proposes changes to disciplinary procedures at Louisiana public colleges and universities for student misconduct. It requires institutions to provide detailed written notices of charges - including specific policy violations and evidence - to students facing suspension (10+ days) or expulsion, and grants accused students and alleged victims the right to be represented by an attorney or advocate at their own expense. The bill sets evidence standards (clear and convincing evidence for most cases, preponderance of evidence only for serious injury/death cases with documented proof), mandates access to disciplinary files 7+ business days before hearings, and requires written appeal decisions. Sanctions cannot take effect until all appeals are resolved, with a 14-day window to file an appeal after a decision. The bill applies to all students and student organizations at public postsecondary institutions in Louisiana.

Maddy summaryHB 427, the "Kids Online Protection and Anti-Grooming Act," requires online platforms (like social media and video games) that contract with minors under 16 in Louisiana to prioritize minors' privacy. It mandates two key changes: setting minor accounts to private by default (visible only to connected users) and alerting legal guardians if minors encounter sexually explicit material. The bill directly affects platforms operating in Louisiana with minor users, defining "minor" as anyone under 16 not emancipated or married. These provisions aim to reduce exposure to harmful content and strengthen parental oversight through default settings and notification systems.

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 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.