Transcript Highlights:

• We end in, you have one minute. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
• There are different dates because some of these expire, correct?
• What's the sunset date on that?
• That doesn't fix the non-taxable part. Maybe we can fix that on the floor. Timeline.
• That doesn't fix the non-taxable part. Maybe we can fix that on the floor.

Bills: SB151 , HB8 , SB177 , HB253 , HB153 , HB255 , HB287 , HB371 , SB151 , HB8 , SB177

Committees: Senate Senate Finance , Senate House Appropriations & Finance

Keywords: corporate income tax, franchise tax, gross receipts tax, tax credit, tax deduction, controlled foreign corporation, CFC, bonus depreciation, interest expense, apportionment, unitary group, high-wage jobs tax credit, local journalism, news media, newspaper printer, physician incentive, health care workforce, affordable housing, multifamily housing, construction materials

Transcript Highlights:

• We can fix that in rules. It just jumped right out at me. Wow.
• Um but at the end of the day we point.
• We can fix that. Yep. Um, so the amendment does a couple things overall.
• We can fix that. Yep. Um, so Oh, yeah. We can fix that. Yep.
• An effective date. That's consistent. So that we made the motion on the amendment.

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• Now, I bet that fixed it.
• Salesman comes in and he sells, hey, I can fix your ammonia. I can fix your BOD.
• I can fix your TSS. I can fix a lot of things because I've got a chemical for that.
• Fix them on, you can put peroxide in your system. You can fix this, absolutely.
• If you look at the date of 2019 Kingdom City, Missouri, 2019.

Committee: House Agriculture

Summary: The committee hearing focused on biosolids, sewage sludge, and PFAS contamination, with the opening remarks and first three presenters arguing that land application of municipal sludge poses serious risks to soil, water, livestock, and human health. Representative Shaw cited EPA and state data on detected pollutants and PFAS in biosolids, while Denise Travick Poyer described her background in chemical engineering and PFAS work and said the EPA’s draft sewage sludge risk assessment shows unacceptable risk at very low PFOS/PFOA levels. She urged source reduction, more testing, and consideration of total organic fluorine, and noted examples from Michigan where industrial pretreatment and source reduction reduced PFAS in biosolids. Johnson County, Texas Commissioner Larry Woolley and Investigator Dana Ames presented a case study of alleged runoff from land-applied biosolids affecting a ranch, with high PFAS readings in soil, water, fish, cattle tissue, and a stillborn calf, and said the county and state had pursued investigations, lawsuits, and legislative responses. Sandra Trawick of Save Oklahoma Farms and Ranches argued that Oklahoma’s biosolids program relies heavily on Class B sludge, that current rules are outdated, and that land application exposes farms and rural communities to pathogens, chemicals, odors, flies, and runoff; she cited examples from Maine, Texas, Georgia, Michigan, and Oklahoma to support calls for stronger regulation or a ban. After the testimony, members asked about sampling methods, lab testing, EPA limits, and whether the cited PFAS blood levels were comparable to the soil and sludge measurements. Witnesses said the Johnson County samples were collected by a Texas A&M PhD contractor and tested at a single lab, and they explained that the EPA’s 4 parts per trillion figure applied to municipal drinking water standards. Questions also addressed whether sludge is incorporated into soil; Trawick said it had often been left on the surface, though she had seen better disking after public scrutiny. Members asked how biosolids compare with manure and feedlot waste, and witnesses responded that municipal sludge is more contaminated because it includes industrial, hospital, and household waste streams, unlike animal manure. The committee then moved to alternative solutions, hearing from Doug McKinney of Advanced Microbial Solutions, who promoted biological sludge removal using bacteria to reduce sludge volumes and avoid land application, citing cost savings for wastewater plants and correctional facilities. Jason Jepsen of Eden Energy followed with a pitch for an eight-stage waste-to-energy system that converts mixed waste into clean energy, biochar, and reusable products, framing waste as an asset and presenting his company’s technology as a no-land-application alternative.

Transcript Highlights:

• My daughter fell through the current legal cracks that SB 1401 would fix.
• I don't know how to fix that, though.
• I'm working on an online dating bill to ensure that the online dating apps flag certain, after the amendment
• And five women he met on a dating app.
• And five women he met on a dating app.

Committee: Senate Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• So we're here to fix that. There is a fiscal note on it.
• So we kind of can make up for it on that end.
• We have to fix this.
• Current meaning to date. Correct.
• Just to clarify that date, part of the amendment said is to update that date to this year so that this

Summary: The committee first considered several local property-transfer and wildlife/fisheries bills, including SB 229 (Bojeur Parish property transfer), SB 71 (Lafayette Parish property transfer), and a series of Department of Wildlife and Fisheries measures. SB 203 simplified possession rules for fish on multi-day trips and remote camps; SB 429 created an administrative path to register “orphan” boats with lapsed registrations; SB 204 removed a residency-based restriction on certain commercial fishing gear licenses; SB 205 reduced duplicate registration requirements for federally documented boats; SB 213 clarified titling rules for vessels and outboard motors; and SB 257 removed Social Security number requirements from certain commercial fishing tags. Each of these bills was reported favorable, generally without objection, after brief explanations from sponsors and department counsel about reducing red tape, improving enforcement, or modernizing records. The committee also heard SB 214, which would allow the Teche-Vermilion Fresh Water District to stop pumping during an imminent flood threat identified by the National Weather Service or GOSEP, addressing liability concerns and giving local officials more flexibility in emergencies. SB 274, as amended, required lead hazard risk assessments for certain child care, early learning, and pre-kindergarten facilities and required hazards found in assessments to be addressed before licensing. Both bills were reported favorable. SB 379, a technical reorganization bill for the Department of Conservation and Energy, received two amendment sets: one changing investment language and another standardizing judicial-review procedures and online notice requirements; it was reported favorable after those amendments. The committee then adopted HCR 62, urging FEMA to review flood maps every five years instead of every ten and to better account for local flood-protection projects, with members discussing the burden of flood insurance and the need for FEMA to recognize levees, pump stations, and elevated homes. HCR 78 was also reported favorable, memorializing Congress to pass the American Seafood Competitiveness Act of 2026 in support of Louisiana’s seafood industry. HB 662, as substituted, was reported favorable after being rewritten to codify the department’s internal protocol for seized sick, injured, or orphaned wildlife, prioritizing release, rehabilitation, placement, and euthanasia as a last resort. Finally, the committee considered two more contentious items. HR 216, which urged repudiation of the Louisiana Climate Action Plan of 2022, drew extended debate over whether the plan had been adopted without legislative input and whether it could affect permits or future policy; after discussion, the sponsor voluntarily deferred the resolution to return with a revised approach focused on a legislative hearing or review. SCR 24, dealing with chronic wasting disease rules, was introduced with amendments that would raise the prevalence threshold, cap samples, allow zone removal after three years without new detections, and lift baiting/feed prohibitions above a higher prevalence level; the transcript cuts off before final action on that measure.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> distance and the ability to uh fix distance and the ability to uh fix something<00:03:20.879><c>
• </c> enough to give you the the be all end enough to give you the the be all end all<00:15:55.560><c>
• You know, the scary part of it—I'll really date myself.
• So, at year to date, we're 14 fatalities behind where we were year to date last year.
• </c> the severity down so at year to date the severity down so at year to date we're<00:36:18.160><c>

Committee: Senate Transportation

Transcript Highlights:

• There will be an opportunity for questions at the end.
• Population level is not the primary driver of fixed costs. Again, fixed costs.
• Fix it. Make it better.
• Let us refine it and fix it and make it work.
• It's the front end and it's the back end when it comes to incarceration.

Summary: The meeting was the third public session of the Special Commission on Correctional Consolidation and Collaboration. Members introduced themselves, and the commission approved the prior meeting minutes. The main presentation came from the Massachusetts Sheriffs’ Association, led by several sheriffs, who described the role of sheriffs’ offices as independently elected county institutions that operate jails and houses of correction, regional lockups, civil process, 911 communications in some counties, school resource officers, and investigative units. They emphasized that most of their population is pretrial, that admissions and releases are far higher than the Department of Correction’s, and that their facilities now house more people overall than DOC despite having a smaller budget. The sheriffs argued that their work has shifted toward rehabilitation, reentry, and public health, highlighting extensive programming in mental health, substance use treatment, medication-assisted treatment, education, vocational training, and gender-specific, trauma-informed services. They said standardized risk/needs assessments and better funding would help make services more consistent across counties. They also described specialized units and models such as regional evaluation and stabilization units, older-adult housing, emerging adult and gang-intervention programs, and reentry centers that connect people to housing, employment, family support, and community services. Several examples were cited, including Suffolk’s Project Evolve, Middlesex’s older-adult unit, Hampden’s MAGIC program, Worcester’s STOP program, and county reentry centers across the state. A major theme was that these programs are expensive but, in the sheriffs’ view, reduce recidivism and improve safety by stabilizing people before release and supporting them afterward. They pointed to COVID-19 as a period when sheriffs adapted facilities for quarantine and medical care, and said they continue to work with public health partners. They also stressed that their facilities are heavily audited by state and federal agencies and that maintaining humane, safe conditions requires significant staffing and operating costs. Commission members responded favorably at points, noting the importance of the turnover in sheriff populations and the need to understand the different correctional mission compared with DOC. The meeting ended with discussion of future commission dates and a note that the presentation materials would be shared electronically.

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill starts to fix that.
• So, Damien, even if we fix the rebate concern that Dr.
• You know, those people end up on our streets.
• So they would have that 72 hours to add that date.
• So it is missing date. It is missing signature.

Committee: House House Health & Human Services Committee of Reference

Summary: The committee heard several bills related to radiation protection in cardiac catheterization labs and later a stem cell/regenerative therapy bill. On SB 1121, which would allow hospitals with radiation protection systems to let clinicians forgo lead aprons if they work in the designated safety area and use real-time dosimetry, testimony was largely supportive or neutral after a late amendment gave radiation safety officers discretion to require protective gear if exposures approach thresholds. The committee adopted the amendment and passed SB 1121 on a 9-1 vote. SB 1120, a more prescriptive bill requiring at least 50% of cath lab rooms in hospitals to be equipped with the radiation protection system, drew divided testimony: sponsors and several physicians argued it would reduce orthopedic injury and radiation exposure and improve recruitment and retention, while hospital and radiology groups objected to the mandate, cost, limited vendor pool, and lack of clarity in the bill’s definitions. After adopting an amendment excluding children’s hospitals, the committee deadlocked 6-6 and SB 1120 failed to pass. The committee then considered SB 1118, which would appropriate $3 million to help rural hospitals install radiation protection systems in cath lab rooms. The sponsor said the funding would help rural facilities meet the same safety goals, and the committee passed the bill 6-5. The committee also heard SB 1214, a “guardrails” bill regulating non-FDA-approved stem cell and regenerative therapies, requiring informed consent, sourcing and reporting standards, advertising limits, and civil penalties for violations. Supporters said it would protect patients while allowing access to promising therapies; some members raised concerns about evidence and commercialization, but after adopting a technical amendment, the bill passed 9-3. The transcript ended as the committee moved on to SB 1630, which would seek federal approval for a home- and community-based service benefit for adults with serious mental illness; the sponsor described it as a capped, Medicaid-based community care option, and Access testified neutral while estimating a fiscal impact, but no final action on SB 1630 appears in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I do want to say, this is a temporary fix.
• I was trying to fix it in the transportation budget.
• going to be more likely at the fixed place of worship.
• on the low end.
• At the end of the day, that's the solution.

Committee: House Community Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• At the end of that prior authorization process, if we end up issuing a denial, we have to say it was
• Senate Bill 407 fixes this by requiring that.
• It originally had the date of—hold that mic.
• It had the date; it's a change in the date from January 1st, 1971.
• January 1st, 1971 would be the date that any person born before that particular date would be able to

Bills: SB227 , SB269 , SB407 , SB463 , SB527 , SB547 , SB1283 , SB1380 , SB1383 , SB1511 , SB1640 , SB1784 , SB2069

Committee: Senate Health & Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• They're moving their base to the north end of the airport.
• Over 80% of DOC's population does have a conditional release date.
• We need to fix it. Let's fix it.
• Are we getting people who are an out date.
• We need to fix it. Let's fix it.

Committee: House Corrections and Public Institutions

Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 2818, which would allow St. Joseph to annex the Rosecrans Airport property and the surrounding acreage into city limits despite the land not being contiguous to the city because of a gap that includes a river and private farms. Representative Brenda Shields and St. Joseph city officials said annexation is needed so the city can apply economic development tools to the airport area, especially as the 139th Airlift Wing relocates and vacates buildings that would revert to the city. Members asked about the need for a statute change and the noncontiguous annexation issue; no opposition was presented, and the hearing on HB 2818 was closed without a vote. The committee then took up House Bills 2695, 2751, and 2831 together, all focused on prison sentence credits, rehabilitation incentives, and related policy changes. Sponsors and supporters described the bills as creating or expanding good-time and earned-time credits for orderly behavior and participation in education, vocational training, treatment, and other rehabilitation programs, while excluding inmates serving death or life-without-parole sentences and certain persistent offenders. HB 2751 also includes a provision removing the lifetime ban on SNAP eligibility for people convicted of drug felonies, which supporters said would aid reentry and family stability. Sponsors said they were open to amendments and acknowledged concerns about how credits would be administered and whether the parole board should retain discretion. Committee members and witnesses raised concerns about whether the bills could allow serious offenders, including some sex offenders and violent offenders, to earn credits, and about the use of “shall” language that might create litigation or disputes over whether credits were earned. The sponsors said the bills rely on Department of Corrections policy for program qualification and discipline rules, and that parole board discretion remained part of the compromise language. Testimony in support came from formerly incarcerated people, faith leaders, advocacy groups, and a prosecutor who supported the concept of earned credits but urged tighter exclusions for serious crimes. No vote was taken during the hearing, and the sponsors indicated they would continue working on amendments with stakeholders.

Transcript Highlights:

• And then what date is there is a field in the database that they can put a date in that it all disappears
• at that date.
• We're using whatever the end goal, right? We talked about A to Z.
• So it's not the incident date. It's the crime. It's the conviction date. Crime conviction.
• And so that's generally where I get some of these fixes that, you know, just need to have a little fix

Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 25, which would prohibit a juvenile who committed a firearm-related delinquent act that would be a felony if committed by an adult from legally owning or possessing a firearm for 10 years after disposition. The sponsor and supporters said the bill is intended to address serious youth gun violence without lengthening juvenile sentences or unsealing records, and they emphasized that the substitute language was meant to clarify, not change, the bill’s intent. Support came from law enforcement, the district attorney’s office, CYFD, and business interests, while opponents including the Public Defender, ACLU, and criminal defense advocates argued it conflicts with juvenile-code principles, creates civil disabilities based on juvenile conduct, and could raise Second Amendment and sealing-record concerns. Members raised extensive questions about how the NICS background-check process would work, what offenses would qualify, whether the measure would apply retroactively, and how sealed juvenile records and pardons would be handled. After discussion, the committee adopted the committee substitute, but no final vote on the bill was taken in the portion provided; members discussed possibly working on the language further in Judiciary or tabling it. The committee then took up House Bill 15, the Medical Injury and Collaborative Resolution Act, described by the sponsor as New Mexico’s version of a candor law. The bill would create a protected adverse outcome conference process allowing patients and providers to discuss medical injuries or undesirable outcomes outside of court, with the goal of improving communication, giving patients answers, and reducing litigation. A family medicine doctor and a trial lawyer testified in support, saying patients often want explanations more than money and that open conversations can sometimes resolve disputes early. Public commenters also supported the concept, though one noted concerns about how pro se litigants would fit into the process. Committee questions focused on how the bill would define injury, how confidentiality would be enforced, whether statements could be used in court, who would pay for the process, and how it would interact with existing malpractice procedures. The sponsors said the conference would be voluntary, not require an apology, and would be protected by evidentiary rules; if protected statements were introduced at trial, they said remedies such as mistrial could apply. The discussion continued into procedural details, but no final action on HB 15 appears in the provided portion.

Transcript Highlights:

• More than 17,000 alumni to date.
• More than 17,000 alumni to date.
• More than 17,000 alumni to date.
• More than 17,000 alumni to date.
• More than 17,000 alumni to date.

Committee: Senate Higher Education

Transcript Highlights:

• Hopefully, at the end of the day, this bill will again become about Officer Rainer.
• But at the end of the day, I intend to honor the deal.
• And let's be honest, not every use of force end in death. Some end in injury. Some end in trauma.
• Victims of domestic violence and dating violence.
• This expands the eligibility to include victims of dating violence.

Transcript Highlights:

• That was the end of the interview.
• be fixed within 30 days.
• It's not a fixed amount.
• It's not a fixed amount.
• No, there's no fixed number of seats. There's no fixed amount of time. It's a legal fiction.

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several introductions and moments of silence, including tributes to fallen service members. The chamber then moved through a special order calendar focused on a series of bills, with most measures receiving unanimous or near-unanimous support after brief explanations and floor debate. Several bills were temporarily postponed, but the body took up and passed multiple others, often substituting identical House companions before final passage. The first major measure, SB 1062 on speech and debate education, drew extensive supportive debate from senators who described debate as a civic skill that builds confidence, critical thinking, and conflict resolution, especially for students in public schools and underserved communities. An amendment creating a Speech and Debate Hall of Fame, expanding access through public-private partnerships, and establishing coach training was adopted, and the bill ultimately passed 37-0. The Senate also passed SB 1072 creating an Anti-Semitism Task Force, with a late-filed amendment clarifying that the bill does not restrict criticism of Israel and is not intended to infringe First Amendment rights; that bill also passed 37-0. Other measures passed included a PFAS bill phasing out firefighting foam containing forever chemicals and setting testing, reporting, and enforcement requirements; an expansion of the My Safe Florida Condominium Pilot Program; student health and safety legislation expanding seizure-response training in schools; updates to funeral and cemetery regulation; protected cell captive insurance company legislation aimed at increasing insurance market capacity; nonprofit corporation updates; child welfare reforms streamlining foster-care medication approvals and related procedures; salvage title/e-signature changes; and forensic client services changes allowing certain APD clients to be housed with other secure forensic residents. Most of these bills were passed after substituting House companions and received unanimous votes. The most contentious debate came on SB 1134 regarding official actions of local governments and DEI-related activities. Senator Yarborough argued the bill would stop counties and cities from funding or promoting DEI practices he described as discriminatory or ideological, while several amendments sought to narrow the bill to spending only, add an intent requirement for penalties, and preserve local proclamations and observances such as LGBTQ Pride Month. Those amendments were rejected, and debate continued on the bill’s scope and exemptions, but the transcript ends before final disposition of SB 1134 is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• Please note the House is not responsible for any bad internet connections on the testifiers' end.
• uh just to note if you testifiers end uh just to note if you are<00:09:19.160><c> disconnected</c><00
• And in the end, what it does is put them on this roller coaster of even greater anxiety.
• We’re also going to be defecting the date to July 1st, 3000. Members, any comments?
• We’re also going to be defecting the date to July 1st, 3000. Members, any comments? See none.

Committee: House Consumer Protection & Commerce

Summary: The Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce met on January 29, 2025, and heard testimony on HB 108, which concerns intoxicating liquor and would expand direct-to-consumer shipping for beer and spirits. Supporters included representatives of Koloa Rum Company, Maui Brewing Company, and Ola Brew, who argued the bill would modernize alcohol laws, help small local producers compete, support jobs and local agriculture, and give consumers more access to Hawaii-made products. They also said Hawaii already has experience regulating direct wine shipments, with age verification and carrier-based delivery systems in place, and that direct shipping could help businesses reach visitors after they return home and diversify beyond tourism. Opposition came from the Hawaii Public Health Institute, whose representative said the bill could increase access for underage drinking, especially because liquor commissions do not currently conduct compliance checks on alcohol shipments and may lack capacity to do so. The group also raised tax-enforcement concerns, saying the existing three-tier system makes excise and sales tax collection easier, while direct shipping would require additional auditing. They urged the committee to oppose the bill or defer it until more research is done, and suggested a common carrier reporting requirement to help reconcile shipments. Committee members questioned both sides about whether current law already allows some alcohol shipments, whether a Kentucky distiller could ship directly to Hawaii, and how reciprocity with other states would work. Supporters said the bill is modeled on wine-shipping language and could be amended to clarify reciprocity, while opponents said the bill lacks a common carrier reporting requirement and would place a burden on county liquor commissions. No vote or final action on HB 108 was taken during the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• date must coincide with the end date of the final determination on that full application.
• So this is what needs to be done to fix this.
• That would then fix the problem from the way I... ...that would then fix the problem from the way I see
• And so those are the two things that need to be fixed for next session.
• I do agree it needs to be fixed. I do agree the intent was that that was there.

Transcript Highlights:

• So that's a pretty substantial hole that we're going to have to fix.
• </c> hole that we're going to have to fix. hole that we're going to have to fix.
• </c><00:31:48.559><c> the</c> priority is actually fixing the priority is actually fixing the structural
• We did that we ended reporting on that.
• </c> of bigger problems that we need to fix. of bigger problems that we need to fix.

Transcript Highlights:

• Again, pushing the effective date back to December 31, 2028.
• Again, pushing the effective date back to December 31st, 2028.
• up with in the end.
• And my only concern is I see the department... ...agreement on what we can end up with in the end.
• That's exactly the gap that HB 949 fixes.

Committees: Senate Health & Welfare , Senate Health and Welfare

Summary: The Senate Committee on Health and Welfare met on May 6, 2026, with five members present. After adopting the April 28 minutes, the committee heard a brief presentation on the new Leadership Louisiana Health Fellows Program, which is intended to bring together health care, business, policy, and education leaders to study Louisiana health challenges and build a network for action. Members expressed support for the program and its potential value to health policy work. The committee then advanced several bills, often with technical or substantive amendments. SB 57, a nutrition-labeling bill, was amended to push its effective date to December 31, 2028 and reported as amended. HB 62 increased the membership of the Louisiana Women’s Policy and Research Commission to 27 members and was reported as amended. HB 193 updated membership rules for the sickle cell commission foundations so long-serving executive directors would not have to reapply repeatedly, and it was reported as amended. HB 815 would allow financial institutions to receive death certificates to help families manage accounts after a death; it was reported favorably after a question about state-licensed banks. SB 405 was substantially revised to codify LDH’s new Ascend nursing-facility quality initiative, including statewide quality oversight goals, stakeholder involvement, reporting requirements, and tools such as dashboards and surveys; after reconsidering prior action and adopting the new amendment, the bill was reported as amended. The committee also approved HB 222, which provides Medicaid dental coverage when needed for another covered medical procedure, and HB 420, which requires background checks for all DCFS employees with access to sensitive information. HB 475 requires verbal consent when AI is used to record or transcribe a medical visit and was reported favorably after a technical question. HB 246 updated membership of the Children’s Cabinet Advisory Board and the council on grandparents raising grandchildren, including replacing an inactive coalition seat with the state police superintendent or designee. HB 486 would enter Louisiana into the psychology inter-jurisdictional compact to expand access to mental health care, and HB 574 updated outdated board names on the Mental Health Advisory Services Board; both were reported favorably. Later, the committee reported HB 949, which creates a licensure framework for radiologist assistants to help address imaging workforce shortages, especially in rural areas, and HB 584, which requires foster children to be provided luggage instead of trash bags for their belongings and restores “rights” language in the Foster Youth Bill of Rights. The committee also reported HB 1214, restructuring certain LDH facilities into a single system under the secretary’s office; HB 1092, a technical renaming/terminology cleanup bill; and HB 203, which adds members to the uterine fibroids commission. Throughout the meeting, members and witnesses emphasized access to care, workforce shortages, child welfare, and quality improvement, and the committee repeatedly adopted amendments and reported the bills favorably or as amended before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill has an effective date of July 1, 2026, and there is a fiscal note available.
• a long-term fix.
• So it shifts; the scope shifts on that date. Ms.
• Every transit trip begins and ends with a walk.
• Every transit trip begins and ends with a walk.

Committee: House Transportation