Sen. Regina Barrow

Maddy summaryThis is a procedural resolution (SR 2) that directs the Louisiana Senate to appoint a six-member committee to coordinate with a similar House committee. The committee's sole purpose is to formally notify the governor that the legislature has officially convened, organized, and is ready to receive his communications. It does not create new laws, affect any specific groups, or change policy. This is a routine step to establish communication between the legislature and governor at the start of a session.

Maddy summaryThis procedural resolution (SR 1) directs the Louisiana Senate to appoint a six-member committee to formally notify the House of Representatives that the Senate has convened, organized, and is ready to begin legislative business. It affects Senate leadership and House leadership by establishing a standard communication step between chambers at the start of a legislative session. The bill creates no new policy or funding but defines a routine procedural action required to begin joint legislative operations. (2 sentences, as it is a purely procedural resolution.)

Maddy summaryThis bill (SCR 1) is a formal invitation for Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry to address a joint session of the Louisiana legislature on Monday, April 14, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. in the House chamber. It does not create new laws or policies but schedules a ceremonial address for the governor to speak to both the House and Senate. The resolution directly affects the governor and the legislature by setting a specific time and location for this meeting.

Maddy summarySB 224, the Parish Preservation Act, requires parishes with populations between 445,000 and 460,000 (per the latest federal census) to hold public meetings and submit detailed reports before a municipality takes over parish tax revenues that would cause a revenue loss exceeding 5% of the parish general fund budget. The reports must explain the municipality's need for the funds, how it will deliver services previously provided by the parish, and the impact on parish services and historically underserved areas. This applies to changes in revenue allocation between consolidated parish governments and incorporated municipalities. The bill aims to ensure transparency and accountability in fiscal decisions affecting all residents. It does not change current service delivery but mandates specific reporting before revenue shifts occur.

Maddy summarySB 91 modifies court cost rules for the Nineteenth Judicial District Court in Louisiana, specifically affecting state agencies and departments listed in R.S. 36:4(A). It allows these entities to temporarily defer court costs in lawsuits involving the state, but requires them to pay a $200 advance filing fee upfront. The bill clarifies that deferral does not shift costs to opposing parties during proceedings, and if a court orders the opposing party to pay deferred costs, they must do so within 30 days of a final judgment. This is a procedural change focused on streamlining court cost handling for state litigation in one specific judicial district.

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 summaryThis bill directs the Louisiana Senate to appoint a six-member committee to inform the House of Representatives that the Senate has officially convened and is ready to conduct business. The resolution serves as a procedural step to coordinate the start of legislative sessions between the two chambers. It does not create new laws or alter policy but simply establishes the formal notification process required for the House to know when the Senate is prepared to transact business.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a procedural resolution that formally invites Governor Jeff Landry to speak to a joint session of the Louisiana Legislature. It sets the event for Wednesday, November 6, 2024, at 3:45 p.m., with both the House and Senate meeting together in the House chamber. The measure does not create new laws or policy changes but serves to organize the schedule for the governor's address.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a committee of six senators to work alongside a similar House committee in notifying the governor that the legislature has officially convened and is ready to receive his communications. The resolution does not change existing laws or create new policies but serves as a procedural step to formally announce the start of the legislative session to the executive branch. By suspending rules to adopt this measure quickly, the Senate ensures the proper administrative protocol is followed for the Third Extraordinary Session.

Maddy summarySB 192 is a procedural amendment that makes a minor textual change to a bill establishing the Empowering Families to Live Well Louisiana Council. The bill removes a single word, "for," from a specific line in the text that creates this council. This adjustment does not alter the council's purpose, membership, or functions, nor does it affect any families or government agencies. The change is purely technical and intended to correct the language before the bill is finalized.