Sen. Adam Bass

Maddy summarySB 32 establishes the Perinatal Bereavement Care Initiative within Louisiana's Department of Health to improve support for families experiencing pregnancy loss or infant death. The bill requires hospitals providing maternity care to receive staff training on supporting grieving parents, access to bereavement resources (like counseling referrals), and perinatal bereavement devices. It prioritizes hospitals serving high-risk patients, delivering many babies, or lacking current bereavement resources. The initiative can fund these services using voluntary monies, including federal grants and donations, without imposing new taxes.

Maddy summarySB 84 requires all health insurance plans sold in Louisiana to cover prostate cancer screening for men aged 40-49 (as medically appropriate) and men over 50, following National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines. It mandates that insurers cover these screenings without any out-of-pocket costs for enrollees, including deductibles, copays, or coinsurance. The law applies to new policies starting January 1, 2027, and existing policies must comply by January 1, 2028. This directly affects Louisiana health insurers and their policyholders by guaranteeing no-cost access to recommended prostate cancer screenings.

Maddy summarySB 229 authorizes Louisiana State University (LSU) and the Commissioner of Administration to transfer non-mineral interests in specific state-owned land parcels in Bossier Parish. The bill describes detailed property boundaries (Sections 17-21 in Township 18 North, Range 12 West) and explicitly excludes mineral rights, a four-acre tract, highway rights-of-way, and other designated areas. It establishes terms for the transfer but does not specify the recipient or purpose of the land. As a procedural authorization bill, it focuses solely on enabling the transfer of defined property.

Maddy summarySB 306 creates a new criminal offense in Louisiana for obstructing freedom of worship at churches or other places of worship. It prohibits specific actions including using force to intimidate attendees, damaging church property, blocking lawful access to the building, or engaging in disruptive activities during scheduled worship services. Violations carry fines up to $25,000 and imprisonment up to 18 months for repeat offenses, with enhanced penalties if bodily injury occurs. The law directly affects individuals who interfere with religious gatherings on private religious property, aiming to protect the orderly conduct of worship as defined by the bill.

Maddy summaryHB 636, the "Caleb Wilson Hazing Prevention Act," requires Louisiana public colleges and universities to prevent, report, and respond to hazing involving student organizations. It defines hazing broadly (including physical brutality, dangerous activities, or substance consumption) and mandates annual hazing education for all students starting fall 2027, plus specific orientation education for new students. The bill also requires student organizations to report hazing incidents to both law enforcement and their institution, and institutions must document all actions and share full details with law enforcement. These provisions directly affect public postsecondary institutions, their students, and all student organizations, including fraternities, sororities, and clubs.

Maddy summaryHB 675 designates a specific section of U.S. Highway 425 in Franklin Parish (from Morgan Street to Louisiana Highway 913) as the "Bill Jewel 'Putt' Linder Memorial Highway" to honor an individual. The bill requires the Louisiana Department of Transportation to install and maintain signage for this designation, but only if local or private funds cover the costs (up to $2,250 per sign) without using state funds. This is a commemorative bill with no policy changes or direct impact on residents, businesses, or transportation regulations. It solely involves naming a highway segment and setting conditions for signage implementation.

Maddy summaryHB 39 requires all Louisiana peace officers seeking certification to be U.S. citizens, directly affecting law enforcement applicants and current officers needing certification. The bill adds a citizenship requirement to existing certification standards under Louisiana law (§2404.4), specifying that applicants must be U.S. citizens as defined in federal law (42 USC §9102(18)). It does not alter training or other existing qualifications but mandates citizenship as a new baseline for certification. This policy change applies to all law enforcement peace officers in Louisiana, including those employed by local police departments and sheriff's offices.

Maddy summaryThis Louisiana legislative resolution asks the U.S. government to reclassify crawfish processing work as agricultural labor so that workers can be hired under the H-2A visa program instead of the more limited H-2B program. The bill also urges federal officials to create a special designation for long-term, compliant crawfish employers and to speed up visa processing times to help businesses meet their seasonal staffing needs. By making these changes, the measure aims to ensure a reliable workforce for the crawfish and landscaping industries during their peak harvest and maintenance periods. The resolution does not become law itself but serves as a formal request to federal agencies and lawmakers to take specific actions to address labor shortages in the state.

Maddy summarySB 275 requires Louisiana health insurers to reimburse certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) at the same rate as physicians for identical services performed within a CRNA's scope of practice, regardless of billing codes. It also prohibits insurers from denying CRNAs network inclusion solely based on their provider type or licensure. The law applies to new insurance policies issued on or after January 1, 2027, and existing policies must comply by January 1, 2028. This directly affects insurers, CRNAs, and patients seeking anesthesia services covered under these plans.

Maddy summaryHB 801 creates a "Classic Black" specialty license plate for Louisiana motor vehicles, available to any Louisiana resident who applies for it. The plate features a black background with white numbers and "LOUISIANA" at the top, and requires a $25 annual fee (plus $3.50 handling) on top of standard license taxes. All fees collected will fund emergency vehicle operations training for local governments at the Donald J. Thibodeaux Training Center in Holden. The plate is restricted to passenger cars, pickup trucks, RVs, motorcycles, and vans, but requires at least 1,000 applicants before issuance.