Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you, Ms. Wilson. Ms. Pacheco, you are recognized on the matter.
• Thank you, Ms. Bains.
• Thank you, Ms. McKinnor.
• Thank you, Ms. Pacheco.
• Ms. Wilson moves, and Ms.

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, Ms. Clark, if you and Ms. LaBrie can come to the table.
• As of today, Ms.
• Ms. Alfred says she spent the year sleeping on her sofa... Ms.
• Thank you, Ms. LaBrie. Ms. Clark. Good afternoon. My name is Nikita Drummond Clark.
• Ms. Garvey wants to, so if y'all could vacate the table, please. Ms.

Committee: Senate Judiciary C

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes and then heard House Bill 1033, which expands the definition of critical infrastructure to include airports, heliports, spaceports, aerospace facilities, certain government and military sites, and oil and gas platforms. Supporters said the bill is part of a broader effort to position Louisiana for aerospace and defense investment, while opponents from the Sierra Club warned that repeatedly broadening critical infrastructure could chill protest and free-speech activity. The bill was reported favorably. The committee then heard House Bill 1034, which authorizes local officials to declare temporary protection zones for public safety for up to 72 hours, with one extension. The sponsor and the Department of Economic Development said it would be a tool for aerospace and defense projects and other public-safety needs; ACLU testimony raised concerns about notice, property rights, and possible impacts on public waterways. The bill was also reported favorably. The committee next considered several criminal justice bills. House Bill 51, barring post-conviction bail for defendants convicted of aggravated offenses against children, and House Bill 55, limiting public disclosure of juror information to protect juror privacy, both received broad support and were reported favorably. House Bill 635, aimed at protecting Louisianians from transnational repression by foreign governments through penalty enhancements for underlying crimes, was supported by a national security advocate and reported favorably. House Bill 133, increasing penalties for students who commit attacks on teachers or other students, was amended to address juvenile procedure and exceptionalities; teachers testified about serious injuries they suffered, while the ACLU and criminal defense lawyers raised concerns about mandatory minimums and individualized sentencing. The bill was reported with amendments. The committee also heard House Bill 676, which creates the crime of fraudulent patient referrals, or “body brokering,” in the substance-use treatment industry. The sponsor and Blue Cross Blue Shield representatives described schemes that steer vulnerable patients into fraudulent treatment arrangements for profit; the bill was reported favorably. House Bill 159 created a Caddo Parish pilot program for pretrial home incarceration with electronic monitoring to reduce jail overcrowding. The sheriff said the jail is far over capacity and that the program would be limited to nonviolent, non-sex-offense defendants with risk assessments, court approval, and behavioral-health check-ins. Witnesses supported the concept but urged tighter liability language; the committee adopted an amendment and reported the bill with amendments. House Bill 106, dealing with unauthorized administration of melatonin to children in child care settings, was reported favorably. Later, the committee amended and reported House Bill 108, which changes juror qualifications to exclude people convicted of crimes of violence or sex offenses from criminal juries, after opponents argued it would unnecessarily bar citizens from jury service. House Bill 784, a cleanup bill on sex offender registration and notification, was amended and reported with technical changes. Senate Bill 388, which removes a trigger clause tied to a border compact and authorizes review of state contracts for foreign-adversary benefit, was amended and reported. Finally, House Bill 772, a bail-procedure reform requiring accurate mailing and electronic notice information and consolidating notice rules, was presented as a fairness and efficiency measure and had support from the bail industry and prosecutors; the transcript ends before final action on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, Ms. Clark, if you and Ms. LaBrie can come to the table.
• As of today, Ms.
• Ms. Alfred says she spent the year sleeping on her sofa. Ms.
• Ms. Garvey wants to, so if y'all could vacate the table, please. Ms.
• We've heard from Ms.

Committee: Senate Judiciary C

Transcript Highlights:

• Ms. Champagne. Mr.
• Ms. Champagne. Mr.
• Ms. Champlain. Mr.
• Ms.
• Ms. Champagne. Mr.

Bills: HCR32 , HB493 , HB679 , HB745 , HB896 , HB1000 , HB1024 , HB1050 , HB1159 , HB1172 , HB1173 , HB1207 , HB1208 , HB1218

Committee: House Transportation, Highways & Public Works

Summary: The House Transportation Committee met on April 21 and considered a series of transportation, licensing, tolling, and public safety measures. It reported favorably House Bill 745, extending special permits for tandem loads hauling containers to and from port facilities; House Bill 1000, a DOTD cleanup bill that clarifies Highway Priority Program reporting and raises the letter-bid contract threshold from $1 million to $3 million; and House Bill 1050, which clarifies commercial driver’s license rules, including age and intrastate/interstate driving limits. The committee also approved House Bill 1172 naming a portion of U.S. Highway 165 in Oberlin the Coulin Brooks Manuel Memorial Highway, House Bill 1218 naming a portion of Louisiana Highway 1090 the Lewis Pat Miramon Memorial Highway, House Concurrent Resolution 32 urging backup motors for the St. Claude Avenue Bridge, and House Bill 1207 on public contracting standards and competition in public bidding. A major portion of the meeting focused on House Bill 896, which responds to tolling issues at the Belle Chasse bridge project. The bill would require toll signage, local toll customer service centers, dispute procedures, and limits on administrative fees, with amendments addressing effective dates, in-person assistance, appeal deadlines, law-enforcement exemptions, and limits on certain charges. The author and witnesses described high administrative fees, long travel distances to customer service locations, and problems with toll bills, while committee members noted the issue was complex and ongoing. The committee reported the bill favorably as amended. The committee also heard House Bill 1159, allowing Jefferson Parish municipalities to use automated speed enforcement devices again under local control. Supporters from Gretna, Westwego, Harahan, and Kenner said photo enforcement reduced crashes, improved safety, and helped limited police resources, while opponents were not emphasized in the transcript. After discussion about whether the measure should be voluntarily or involuntarily deferred, the committee ultimately deferred the bill. House Bill 493, which would prohibit expropriation by the Amite River Basin Drainage and Water Conservation District in East Feliciana and St. Helena Parishes, drew extensive testimony about reservoir fears and local opposition; the committee voluntarily deferred it. House Bill 679, as substituted, created a driver’s license designation for people with brain injuries and required related law-enforcement training; witnesses described personal experiences with brain injury and the need for officers to recognize communication and behavioral effects, and the committee reported the substitute favorably. House Bill 1173, which waives late fees for certain reinstatement-relief payment plans for driver’s licenses, was also reported favorably, and House Bill 1024 creating a Louisiana Democratic Party prestige plate was approved as well.

Transcript Highlights:

• Ms.
• Ms.
• Ms. Winkler.
• Ms. Winkler.
• Ms. Winkler: Thank you, Ms. Winkler.

Committee: House Natural Resources & Environment

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you, Ms.
• Ms. Ortega: Thank you.
• Ms. Ortega: Yes, absolutely.
• Ms. Ortega. Thank you.
• Ms.

Committee: Senate Ethics and Elections

Transcript Highlights:

• Ms. DeWay. Thank you for being here, in your experience. Go ahead. Ms. DeWay.
• Ms. Rebecca Baker, Maricopa County Attorney's Office. Ms.
• I have one other question, Ms. Baker.
• I have one other questions, Ms. Baker.
• Chair and Ms.

Bills: HB2047 , HB2136 , HB2198 , HB2411 , HB2662 , HB2966 , HB2970

Committees: House Judiciary , House House Judiciary Committee of Reference

Keywords: forcible entry, detainer, writ of restitution, criminal trespass, judgment enforcement, civil terrorism, disorderly conduct, vandalism, political activism, public order, subversion, government security, criminal records, sealing records, civil rights, expungement, rehabilitation, coerced abortion, abortion-inducing drugs, felony

Transcript Highlights:

• Ms. Burt, whenever you're ready. Good afternoon. Good afternoon.
• Do we have Ms. Crowley on the line? Do we have Ms. Crowley on the line?
• Ms. Yang, welcome.
• Very quickly, Ms. Bo, it's for you.
• Okay, Ms. Annabert. Ms. Lane, Ms. Yang, Ms. Burt. Hi, can you hear me now? Yes, please proceed.

Summary: The committee heard House Bill 2260, House Joint Resolution 4209, and House Bill 2259, with testimony and questions on each. HB 2260 would require petition signature gatherers to sign and date each petition sheet, provide their address and county, and require voters’ residence addresses for signature verification; supporters said this would improve accountability and help prevent fraud or duplicate signatures, while opponents argued it would burden volunteers, risk disenfranchising voters who move or use incomplete addresses, and add unnecessary penalties. The Secretary of State and former Secretary of State opposed the bill, saying existing verification methods are effective and that the measure could create costly, unintended barriers. HB 2259 would require 1,000 registered-voter signatures before filing an initiative or referendum and prohibit pay-per-signature compensation, with civil penalties and a private right of action; supporters said it would reduce frivolous filings, title shopping, and fraud incentives, while opponents said it would chill initiative activity, especially for rural communities and referenda with tight timelines. The Secretary of State and former Secretary of State also opposed HB 2259, saying the initiative process should remain accessible and that the bill would add barriers and workload. House Joint Resolution 4209 would amend the state constitution to allow the legislature to modify congressional districts mid-decade by simple majority if another state adopts a new congressional map absent a court order. The prime sponsor argued Washington should not unilaterally stay passive if other states engage in partisan mid-decade redistricting, while opponents said the proposal would weaken Washington’s bipartisan redistricting system, set a bad precedent, and invite retaliation. Testimony on the resolution was sharply divided, with supporters warning that partisan redistricting elsewhere threatens fair representation and opponents saying Washington should preserve its existing commission-based process rather than respond in kind. The hearing on HJR 4209 was concluded after testimony. No votes or final committee actions were taken in the excerpt. The chair suspended and reopened hearings as planned, and testimony was taken on all three measures, with HB 2260 and HB 2259 drawing extensive public comment and questions about fraud, access, and administrative burden.

Transcript Highlights:

• Ms.
• Ms.
• For Ms.
• Ms.
• But Ms.

Committee: Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee

Keywords: nuclear energy, permitting process, energy production, public lands, national parks, uranium imports, legislative bills, infrastructure development

Summary: The committee meeting was dominated by discussions on a variety of legislative bills including major topics such as nuclear energy advancement, the effects of regulatory hurdles on energy production, and proposals to improve national park staffing and maintenance. Members expressed concerns over the federal government's handling of uranium imports and the necessity for maintaining a robust domestic nuclear supply chain. Efforts to streamline permitting processes to facilitate more efficient energy project development were also a focal point, alongside public testimony from stakeholders in the energy and environmental sectors. The meeting highlighted the urgent need for infrastructure development to meet rising energy demands while addressing climate change impacts.

Transcript Highlights:

• The House of Representatives, Ms.
• Ms. Paish of Wellesley doubts the presence of a quorum.
• On roll calls 250 and 251, Ms. Winner of Andover votes yes. On roll calls 250 and 251, Ms.
• Ms.
• Ms.

Transcript Highlights:

• Ms. Little, would you read in the bill? Yes, sir.
• Ms. Robinson, when you're ready, would you please read in that bill?
• I'm going to ask Ms. Little if she would read in the bill.
• Okay, Ms. Robinson, would you read in the bill? Mr.
• Ms. Robinson, would you read in the bill? Mr.

Bills: HB27 , HB290 , HB308 , HB311 , HB382 , HB417 , HB575 , HB755 , HB980

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: HB 290, Act 426, sunset law, Department of the Treasury, Louisiana Treasury, re-creation, reauthorization, statutory entities, termination date, sunset review, Title 49, fiscal administration, state finance, agency continuation, legislative authority, insurance premiums, Municipal Fire and Police, dedicated fund, assessments, Louisiana legislation

Transcript Highlights:

• The Senator from Middlesex, Ms.
• Ms.
• Ms.
• Ms.
• Ms. Parker's dedication extended beyond her professional role.

Summary: The Senate session opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and several ceremonial recognitions. Members welcomed the 2025 Duxbury Girls Soccer Team, the MIAA Division II state champions, and the Medfield Girls Soccer Team, the Division III state champions, with remarks highlighting their championship seasons, records, and coaches. The chamber also adopted a resolution congratulating Oxford Fire Chief Lawrence R. McDonald on 45 years of public service. On the legislative side, the Senate adopted a House order establishing a special joint committee on initiative petitions. It then passed to be enacted a bill providing for the recall of elected officers in the town of Sharon. The Senate also took up and passed several local bills on third reading, including measures relating to Bridgewater’s town council, temporary absence and appointment powers of the town manager, the City of Cambridge Employment and Job Training Trust, and an amendment to the Natick Home Rule Charter, which was amended to conform to Senate Document No. 2953 before passage. The chamber then acted on several Ways and Means reports and related orders. It concurred in a House amendment to Senate No. 2563 on laws affecting individuals with disabilities, with a further amendment and emergency preamble, and ordered several bills to second reading with Ways and Means amendments pending, including measures on consumer protections and dishonored bill transactions, the pathway to become a certified public accountant, and fair housing practices. The Senate also ordered House No. 4908, establishing a sick leave bank for a Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office employee, to third reading. Finally, the Senate adopted orders to return the next meeting to Monday at 11:00 a.m., and adjourned in memory of Jim Parker and Kimberly Parker after tributes honoring their public service and community involvement.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Senator from Middlesex, Ms.
• Ms.
• Ms.
• Ms. Parker's dedication extended beyond her professional role.
• Known for her warmth, professionalism, and tireless work ethic, Ms.

Transcript Highlights:

• Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Ohio, Ms.
• The gentlewoman from North Carolina, Ms.
• The gentlewoman from California, Ms.
• Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Ohio, Ms.
• Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Nevada, Ms.

Bills: HR1 , HR566

Keywords: House of Representatives, Clerk, Sergeant-at-Arms, Chief Administrative Officer, appointment, H.Res. 566, HR566, House resolution, rule, special rule, procedural resolution, floor procedure, budget reconciliation, reconciliation bill, H.R. 1, One Big Beautiful Bill, Senate amendment, House Concurrent Resolution 14, H.Con.Res. 14, Budget Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• I think Ms.
• Chair calls Ms.
• Ms. Swanson?
• Oh, I'm sorry, Ms. Swanson.
• Ms.

Committee: House Elections

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you for your time, Ms. Dawson, Ms. Davis, and Mr. Dawson. Appreciate it. Thank you.
• Thank you for your time, Ms. Dawson, Ms. Davis, and Mr. Dawson. Appreciate it. Thank you.
• Next we have Ms. Julia Taylor. You're welcome to the table. And Ms.
• And Ms.
• We have Ms. Ray. All right, we have Ms. Ray. All right, we have five left in the queue.

Committee: All ALC-ADMINISTRATIVE RULES

Summary: The Administrative Rules Subcommittee met to review a long agenda of agency rule changes, beginning with housekeeping on the order of business and then taking up rules from multiple state agencies. Early items included Department of Energy and Environment rules on landfill post-closure trust fund spending thresholds and liquefied petroleum gas standards, DFA’s odometer disclosure rule allowing electronic signatures and disclosures, and several Department of Health rules covering ionizing radiation, mobile home and recreational parks, lead-based paint, counseling licensure, hearing instrument dispensers, athletic training, dental specialties and compacts, nursing, pharmacy, physician assistants, medical compacts, speech-language pathology and audiology, radiologic technology, massage therapy, community health workers, doula certification, and cosmetology/body art. Most of these were described as technical updates, conformity with recent acts, federal standards, or compact participation, and nearly all were approved without objection after brief questions and, in many cases, no public comment. The committee also reviewed Department of Labor and Licensing rules on minimum wage/independent contractor standards, boiler rules, motor vehicle commission requirements for ATV/LSV dealers, professional wrestling regulation, appraiser qualifications, and military recruiting and retention programs. Testimony generally emphasized that the rules implemented recent legislation, updated fees or licensing standards, or streamlined existing processes. Members asked a few questions about fee structures, the rationale for regulating professional wrestling, and how the National Guard’s public-private partnership and incentive programs would work; the department said the recruiting incentives would be funded from existing appropriations and were intended to improve retention and force strength. These rules were also approved without objection. The most extensive discussion came on the Department of Education’s Arkansas Children’s Educational Freedom Account Program rule. The department said the revisions, based on Act 920 of 2025, were intended to add guardrails, clarify allowable expenses, and speed approval of core educational purchases. Changes included defining core educational expenses, limiting certain sports-related spending, adding an intentional misuse standard, restricting phone purchases except for disability-related needs, setting a $1,000 threshold for additional review of technology purchases, capping carryover funds at $8,500, and creating a reconsideration process for denied expenses. Members raised concerns about safeguards, appeals, sports equipment, provider credentialing, rural vendor access, and whether the department would be flexible or overly restrictive. The department said it would review every request, provide written explanations for denials, allow appeals up to the State Board, and refer suspected fraud to prosecutors if necessary. After hearing from 13 members of the public, the committee continued to discuss the rule, but the transcript ends before any final vote on the EFA rule is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• So I want to thank you, Ms.
• Addis and thank you to Ms. Quirk-Silva for graciously allowing Ms. Addis to jump to line.
• Ms. Bonta?
• Thank you, Ms. Bonta.
• Okay, Ms.

Committee: House Education

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you, Ms. Stevens. Please remember to silence your cell phones.
• I’m sorry, Ms. Firegrass.”
• Next bill, House Bill 471 by Representative Jordan, and Ms.
• Ms. Firegrass?”
• Ms. Firegrass? “There’s a lengthy set of amendments that we need to talk about. Ms. Vigras?”

Committee: House Commerce, Consumer Protection, and International Affairs

Summary: The House Committee on Commerce met on Wednesday, April 22, with a quorum present and heard several bills. HB 1195, relating to the Louisiana State Athletic Commission, was amended with technical changes and a fee-related amendment tied to student athlete agents, then reported favorably. Members asked about criminal penalties and whether the bill would affect prison athletic events; the author said he would follow up on those questions. HB 798, the Broadband and Cable Price Notice Act, was amended to clarify definitions, federal compliance, notice requirements, and severability, then reported favorably after extensive debate over whether providers already give adequate notice, whether a separate notice is necessary, and whether the bill would be preempted by federal law. Charter Communications testified in opposition, saying the bill was duplicative and would add costs, while the author argued it was needed to ensure clear, conspicuous notice of price increases and cancellation rights.

Transcript Highlights:

• Ms. Johnson. Sorry. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
• Ms. Stokes, welcome back.
• And so if there is a fair process, and I've asked Ms.
• And as Ms. Johnson said... President DeWitt, welcome to the House Insurance Committee, and as Ms.
• Ms. Trinity. Until Representative Hilfordy gets here, Ms.

Committee: House Insurance

Transcript Highlights:

• Ms.
• Ms.
• Ms. Marks will be followed by Amina Spaheen with Florida. Mary Lee Marks, Ms.
• Thank you, Ms. Keith.
• Good afternoon, Ms. Lerner.

Bills: S0002 , S0006 , S0018 , S0026 , S0028 , S0050 , S0178 , S0326 , S0538 , S0786 , S1004 , S1096 , S1178 , S1366 , S1632 , S1634

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Summary: The committee heard a series of bills, most of them claims or civil-law measures, and reported each favorably. Among the bills approved were SB 326 on curators of estates, SB 1096 clarifying filing deadlines under the Florida Civil Rights Act, SB 28 and SB 26 on claims against the City of Lakeland and the estate of Mark Legata, SB 6 involving a DCF-related claim for Layla Estrada/Sapphire Williams, SB 786 creating a nonjudicial process for closing trusts, SB 18 and SB 2 on claims involving the estate of McKenzie Navarre and Daniel Mosley, and SB 50 expanding veterans’ courts statewide. The committee also approved SB 538 on extracurricular activities, SB 1004 on pet sales and financing disclosures, and SB 1366, the sovereign immunity bill, which was presented as a starting point for negotiations with the House over higher claims caps and related provisions. Most of these bills were explained by sponsors as clarifying existing law, modernizing procedures, or resolving uncontested claims, and several had support from affected organizations or individuals; some also drew opposition or concerns from speakers, especially on trust notice issues, sovereign immunity, and the scope of the extracurricular and pet-sale bills. Several bills were amended before passage. SB 326 was narrowed by removing a section and changing reporting language for curators. SB 786 received a technical clarification amendment, while SB 18 removed an unneeded Medicaid-related section. SB 50 on veterans’ courts drew broad support from veterans’ groups and criminal-justice organizations. SB 538 on extracurricular activities was amended multiple times to address home education eligibility, activity fees for homeschool participants, technical cross-references, and compensation for extracurricular sponsors. SB 1004 was supported by animal-welfare advocates and consumer-protection interests. SB 178 on athletics in public K-12 schools was amended to limit the bill to head coaches, require personal funds, and allow similar bylaws by other athletic associations; it passed after discussion of a Miami Northwestern coaching controversy. The committee also took up two major policy bills with substantial testimony and questions. SB 1178 on foreign influence would create a state framework for foreign-agent registration, restrict gifts and contracts tied to foreign countries of concern and designated foreign terrorist organizations, limit certain sister-city and university linkage activities, and increase penalties for crimes committed to benefit foreign governments or terrorist groups; supporters framed it as a national-security and transparency measure, while the sponsor withdrew one amendment before passage. SB 1632 on ideologies inconsistent with American principles generated the most extended questioning, especially about its domestic-terrorism designation process, references to Sharia law, notice and due-process protections, and potential effects on students and speech; supporters argued it targets conduct, not belief, while opponents warned it could chill protected activity and unfairly target Muslim communities. The committee heard many public speakers on both sides, but no floor debate followed before the bill was moved forward.