Sen. Blake Miguez

Maddy summarySR 50 is a commemorative resolution that officially recognizes Monday, April 28, 2025, as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Day at the Louisiana State Capitol. This resolution celebrates the contributions and achievements of Louisiana's eight HBCUs.

Maddy summarySB 240 creates an additional standard deduction for personal income taxes in Louisiana. This bill directly affects taxpayers who are sixty-five years of age or older. Starting with tax years on or after January 1, 2026, eligible individuals will receive an additional standard deduction equivalent to the amount provided for a single individual.

Maddy summarySB 229 requires Louisiana state institutions (like universities) to report gifts valued at $25,000 or more from foreign governments, foreign adversaries, or foreign sources. Institutions must submit annual reports by January 31 and July 31 detailing gifts received during the prior six months, including those from affiliated organizations. The Board of Regents will audit a random sample of reported gifts each year to ensure compliance, and institutions failing to report face civil penalties equal to 105% of the undisclosed gift amount. The law takes effect for gifts received after August 1, 2026, with exceptions for gifts awarded before that date.

Maddy summarySB 148 amends existing law regarding motions for partial summary judgment in civil cases. It clarifies that a party winning such a motion is automatically awarded court costs and attorney fees. The bill also specifies that if a plaintiff dismisses a claim or the parties agree to a settlement before a hearing, the court cannot award fees or costs for that dismissed portion. This technical amendment affects civil litigants and courts handling pre-trial motions, streamlining fee awards without creating new legal standards.

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 13 is a procedural amendment to an appropriations bill that does not create new spending or change policy. It makes minor wording adjustments to clarify references to the State General Fund and adds the word "care" to a specific line item regarding medical costs. These changes are technical edits intended to ensure the bill's language is precise rather than to alter how money is distributed. The bill directly affects the legislative text of the larger appropriations package but has no independent impact on government operations or citizens.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends existing laws regarding pharmaceutical reimbursements to apply only to contracted pharmacists or pharmacies that do not own more than five shares or a five percent interest in a pharmaceutical wholesale group purchasing organization or vendor. The key provision restricts the scope of the reimbursement rules to ensure they target independent pharmacies rather than those with significant ownership stakes in drug supply chains. By adding this specific limitation, the legislation clarifies which entities must comply with the current reimbursement requirements without changing the underlying financial mechanisms.

Maddy summaryThis bill officially designates the existing Vietnam Veterans Memorial at Veterans Memorial Park in Lake Charles as the state's Louisiana Vietnam Veterans Memorial. The primary change is adding a new section to the state code to formally recognize this specific location with that official title. The legislation does not alter the physical memorial or its funding, but rather establishes its legal status as the designated memorial for the state.

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 restricts public schools from adopting policies that require staff or students to use pronouns or names inconsistent with their biological sex or legal name. It defines a person's legal name based on their birth certificate and prohibits schools from asking employees or students about their preferred pronouns if those pronouns do not align with their sex. The legislation also empowers parents to seek corrective action if an employee uses incorrect pronouns or names for a minor student, allowing parents to pursue further remedies if the school principal refuses to enforce such corrections. Additionally, the bill clarifies that individuals are not required to use pronouns that conflict with a student's sex and establishes that the law's provisions are severable if any part is found invalid.