Rep. Stephanie Hilferty

Maddy summaryThis bill updates how the New Orleans Sewerage and Water Board calculates and presents water bills for all customers, removing the distinction between residential and commercial clients in certain billing contexts. It establishes a new arbitration system with two appointed arbiters per team to handle billing disputes, requiring these teams to hold regular public meetings in each city district to review customer cases. Additionally, the law mandates that existing residential customers receive their fixed rate bills within 120 days of the act's effective date.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the residency requirements for employees of the New Orleans Sewerage and Water Board by updating the name of the appointing authority from the "city civil service commission" to the "Civil Service Commission of the City of New Orleans." The change does not alter the actual rules for who can work for the utility but corrects the official title of the commission in the state code. It directly affects the administrative processes used to hire staff for the board and is a procedural update rather than a new policy.

Maddy summaryHB 213 amends the crime of negligent homicide by reducing the required number of victims from twenty to ten. This change directly affects how prosecutors must prove a case, as the law now considers the death of ten people instead of twenty to constitute the offense. The bill achieves this through three specific amendments that replace the word "twenty" with "ten" in the relevant sections of the statute.

Maddy summaryHB 190 amends the Early Childhood Care and Education Commission by updating its membership list to include representatives from the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry and the Child Care Association of Louisiana. The bill also adjusts the commission's term limits and modifies its internal rules regarding voting procedures and quorum requirements. These changes directly affect the commission's composition and operational guidelines, ensuring specific industry and advocacy groups have a voice in early childhood policy decisions.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Louisiana's criminal procedure rules to set a one-year deadline for the state to begin a second trial after a defendant wins a new trial or a mistrial occurs. The one-year clock starts when the new trial is granted, unless the state appeals that decision, in which case the clock only begins once all appeals are finished. This change directly affects criminal defendants who have already secured a new trial and ensures they are not delayed indefinitely while the state reviews the ruling. By clarifying these time limits, the law aims to streamline the process for retrying cases without extending the overall timeline unnecessarily.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits the retail sale of nitrous oxide, a gas commonly used in whipped cream dispensers but also used recreationally. It directly affects businesses that sell consumer goods, requiring them to stop selling the gas at retail locations. The law establishes enforcement mechanisms through the office of alcohol and tobacco control to ensure compliance. By banning retail sales, the legislation aims to reduce the availability of the substance in stores without addressing other potential sources of supply.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the language in a previous law to clarify that jurors can donate their daily jury duty pay to the Capital Area Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) organization. The changes correct minor wording errors by replacing "the" with "their" and updating a section reference from "Paragraph (A)" to "Subsection A." These adjustments ensure the existing rule allowing jurors to give their compensation to CASA is clearly written without altering the policy itself.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the text of a law regarding mandatory reporting of child abuse by changing the word "Section" to "Article" in two specific places. These changes do not alter the actual requirements for who must report suspected abuse or how reports are handled. The legislative action is purely a technical correction to the document's structure rather than a new policy change.

Maddy summaryThis concurrent resolution expresses the Louisiana Legislature's intent that laws regarding sexual abuse of minors should not have time limits on when victims can file lawsuits. It specifically addresses a recent court ruling that declared previous attempts to revive expired claims unconstitutional, arguing that such time limits do not create permanent rights for the accused. The bill asserts that the state has a legitimate interest in addressing child abuse by allowing victims to seek justice regardless of how much time has passed since the abuse occurred. Ultimately, it serves as a formal legislative statement supporting the removal of expiration dates for these specific legal claims.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates a specific stretch of United States Highway 51 in St. John the Baptist Parish as the "Arnold J. Labat Memorial Highway." The designated section runs between United States Highway 61 and Interstate 10. By officially naming this road, the legislation honors Arnold J. Labat, though it does not alter traffic rules or funding. The change is purely symbolic and applies only to the named portion of the highway within that parish.