Sen. Mike Fési

Maddy summarySB 146 allows local governments in Louisiana (including parishes, cities, school boards, and other political subdivisions) to use a designated website as their official journal instead of a newspaper. The bill defines strict requirements for these websites, such as being free, publicly accessible without login, including a searchable archive of all official notices for at least one year, and meeting accessibility standards. It also requires that if a newspaper is chosen as the official journal, the newspaper must post all official notices on its website and a collective state website. This replaces outdated requirements for newspaper-only publication and updates penalties for failing to publish official proceedings on time.

Maddy summarySB 193 prohibits Louisiana's fisheries commission from modifying commercial menhaden fishing buffer zones before August 1, 2028. The bill establishes a statewide rule freeze on these buffer areas, which define protected zones for the menhaden fishery. This directly affects commercial menhaden fishermen operating in Louisiana waters by maintaining current buffer boundaries until 2028.

Maddy summarySB 186 sets annual catch limits for commercial menhaden fishing in Louisiana territorial waters. It requires commercial fishing companies using purse seines to harvest no more than 315 million pounds of menhaden per year. The bill also prohibits possessing more than 5% by weight of any non-menhaden or non-herring-like fish species while fishing. These provisions directly affect commercial menhaden fishing operations in Louisiana.

Maddy summarySB 3 requires Louisiana parish and city school boards to post proposed changes to member compensation or mileage rates on their official websites at least 30 days before any vote on those changes. This applies to all school boards statewide, covering both per diem pay and expense allowance systems. The bill mandates that the posted notice include the specific change amount and be accessible for 30 days prior to the board meeting where the vote occurs. This requirement ensures transparency by making proposed compensation adjustments publicly visible before voting.

Maddy summarySB 14 delays the implementation date for certain nutrition-related public health provisions from January 1, 2027, to January 1, 2028. The bill directly affects state public health programs implementing these nutrition standards. This amendment, adopted by the Senate with unanimous support, adjusts the timeline for compliance without altering the underlying policy requirements. The full bill's specific nutrition provisions are not detailed in the provided text.

Maddy summarySB 19 (Louisiana Senate bill) addresses rules for pharmacists dispensing ivermectin. It clarifies the effective date of the law through procedural amendments but does not specify substantive changes to ivermectin dispensing rules in the provided text. The bill passed the Senate 28-8 on April 30, 2025, and is now moving to the House. This legislation directly affects pharmacists and patients in Louisiana regarding ivermectin availability. The bill's policy details are not described in the provided text beyond its effective date provisions.

Maddy summarySB 182 allows Louisiana's Department of Health to temporarily suspend Medicaid prior authorization and other utilization management requirements during a declared emergency. This applies broadly to all Medicaid recipients for essential healthcare services, removing prior restrictions that specifically mentioned cancer treatment or oncology care. The bill's key mechanism gives the Department authority to ensure uninterrupted access to medical services when emergencies like natural disasters or public health crises occur. It affects all Medicaid beneficiaries in Louisiana by streamlining access to necessary care during emergencies. The bill passed unanimously in the Senate and is now pending in the House.

Maddy summarySB 126 adds a specific exemption for charter schools from reporting school mapping data requirements under Louisiana law (R.S. 17:416.16.1). The bill directly affects charter schools operating under Louisiana's Chapter 3996, exempting them from this data collection mandate unless otherwise required by their approved charter. Key provisions clarify that charter schools are exempt from "all statutory mandates" applicable to public schools, with this mapping data requirement explicitly listed as one of the exempted provisions. This change modifies existing law to remove a specific reporting obligation for charter schools, while public schools remain subject to the mapping data requirement. The bill focuses on administrative clarity for charter schools within existing legal frameworks.

Maddy summaryHB 684 restricts the use of seclusion and physical restraint for students with disabilities in schools, requiring staff to first implement behavioral interventions. The bill clarifies that such interventions must address the student's behavior before restraint is considered, with a minor technical amendment correcting wording from "Behavior" to "Behavioral" in the text. This is a procedural adjustment with no new costs or policy changes, as noted by "EN NO IMPACT," and it directly affects school staff and students with disabilities in public education settings. The bill passed the House unanimously (99-0) and is now pending in the Senate.

Maddy summaryHB 466 requires Louisiana public school systems to provide a permanent salary increase for teachers and other school employees using savings from the state's payment of certain pension liabilities. It directly affects all public school systems and their covered personnel, including teachers (certificated) and support staff (noncertificated) as defined by specific job codes. The bill mandates schools incorporate this increase into salary schedules and extend it to employees on approved leave (e.g., medical, military, maternity/adoptive leave), with schools required to report implementation to the state Department of Education by December 31. Charter schools participating in the Teachers' Retirement System must comply with this provision, though they remain exempt from most other public school mandates.