Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 324 by Representative Villio, judicial salary, salary increases for judges, Supreme Court,
• House Bill 324 by Representative Villio, judicial salary, salary increases for judges, Supreme Court,

Bills: HR119 , HR120 , HR121 , HR122 , HR123 , HR124 , HR125 , HR126 , HR127 , HR128 , HR129 , HR130 , HR131 , HR132 , HCR53 , HCR54 , HCR55 , HCR56 , HR115 , HR116 , HR117 , HR118 , SCR19 , SCR26 , SB102 , SB222 , SB255 , SB270 , SB273 , SB314 , SB418 , SB420 , HB21 , HB24 , HB29 , HB31 , HB39 , HB45 , HB49 , HB77 , HB136 , HB150 , HB211 , HB263 , HB273 , HB299 , HB315 , HB324 , HB376 , HB377 , HB422 , HB431 , HB444 , HB450 , HB519 , HB533 , HB538 , HB549 , HB559 , HB562 , HB663 , HB664 , HB715 , HB717 , HB805 , HB822 , HB823 , HB834 , HB864 , HB867 , HB1011 , HB1017 , HB1018 , HB1068 , HB1134 , HB1137 , HB1234 , HB1235 , HB1236 , HB310 , HCR6 , HCR19 , HCR10 , HR74 , HCR26 , HCR35 , HCR7 , HB51 , HB82 , HB143 , HB145 , HB160 , HB180 , HB192 , HB393 , HB430 , HB445 , HB506 , HB515 , HB521 , HB565 , HB590 , HB614 , HB638 , HB670 , HB672 , HB685 , HB692 , HB752 , HB773 , HB781 , HB799 , HB860 , HB874 , HB887 , HB917 , HB937 , HB956 , HB965 , HB972 , HB977 , HB982 , HB1006 , HB1010 , HB1044 , HB1072 , HB1088 , HB1179 , HB1200 , HB76 , HB132 , HB181 , HB210 , HB250 , HB265 , HB275 , HB291 , HB322 , HB342 , HB475 , HB486 , HB616 , HB635 , HB639 , HB690 , HB740 , HB757 , HB761 , HB774 , HB808 , HB855 , HB872 , HB883 , HB886 , HB903 , HB949 , HB962 , HB996 , HB1003 , HB1036 , HB1054 , HB1071 , HB1076 , HB1078 , HB1113 , HB1132 , HB1146 , HB1232 , HB1233 , HB140 , HB750 , HB911 , HB52 , HB154 , HB400 , HB463 , HB570 , HB631 , HB637 , HB870 , HB952 , HB961 , HB399 , HB868 , HB905 , HB401 , HB901 , HR20 , HB9 , HB58 , HB151 , HB193 , HB284 , HB459 , HB476 , HB577 , HB582 , HB605 , HB615 , HB682 , HB733 , HB915

Summary: The House met on April 9, 2026, established a quorum, and opened with prayer and the pledge. Members then spent much of the morning recognizing visiting groups and honoring individuals and teams, including Louisiana Emergency Preparedness Day, social workers, Black Women’s Health Initiative and My Sister’s Keeper, the Knock Knock Children’s Museum, and several championship school teams. The House also received committee reports and introduced a number of resolutions and Senate bills before moving into House bills on second reading and final passage. A large block of bills focused on taxation, procurement, transportation, public safety, and administrative modernization. The House passed measures on prompt payment for contractors, fleet vehicle registration, electronic bidding forms, cooperative purchasing by local governments, and use of federal procurement rules for buses and paratransit vehicles. Members also approved bills related to ad valorem millage rules and a constitutional amendment proposal to change legislative session dates, though that session-date measure was sent to Appropriations. Other bills passed addressed brick manufacturing and wood pellet manufacturing as economic development priorities, boiler inspection authority, the Fire Marshal’s role in child care center inspections, and the Louisiana Wallet digitized credentials program. Several public safety and social policy bills also advanced. The House passed bills increasing penalties for repeat DWI offenders with serious prior driving-related convictions, providing medical expense assistance for injured law enforcement officers and firefighters, creating a green/blue envelope program for drivers with autism or mental illness, and establishing a workplace violence measure for retail food service establishments. Members also passed bills on domestic violence, homelessness-related court programs, non-compete restrictions for interns and preceptors, pharmacy benefit managers, and health coverage for prosthetic and orthotic devices. One bill on jury trial reassignment in criminal cases failed on reconsideration by a vote of 50-49 and returned to the calendar. Most of the bills considered on final passage were approved by wide margins, with several receiving unanimous or near-unanimous support. A few measures were temporarily returned to the calendar or recommitted, including some domestic violence, insurance, and retirement-related bills. The House also adopted multiple amendments during debate, and several members requested co-authors on measures after passage.

Transcript Highlights:

• And what's interesting about it, when you look at the salaries that these individuals get, it's $50,000
• The salaries and wages they have in there are for $2.1 million, and that's at 3% and 3.15% for the health
• And you may wonder, well, why is that one-time funding when it's for salaries?
• The Senate added funding from special funds from inspection fees for temporary salaries and expenses

Committee: House Appropriations

Summary: The committee met to consider three measures, beginning with Senate Bill 2016 for Job Service. Testimony described Job Service’s workforce, unemployment insurance, and labor market functions, its long-term reduction in FTEs and budget, and its reliance on federal funding that does not keep pace with inflation. The bill included funding for an additional FTE for the H-2A housing inspection program, continued support for the JP3 offender placement pilot, and one-time funding for IT and mainframe costs tied to a system modernization effort. The committee approved the bill 20-0, with Representative Swiontek named as carrier. The committee then discussed Senate Bill 2305, which would allow family members to be paid as caregivers for certain young people with disabilities instead of only licensed outside providers. Members noted the specialized, 24-hour nature of the care, workforce shortages, waiting lists, and the potential to avoid more expensive institutional care. Questions focused on how the program would be structured, including certification requirements and whether it would remain a pilot or become part of the broader human services budget. The committee passed the bill 20-0, with Representative Roar as carrier and Representative Nelson available as backup. Finally, the committee took up Senate Bill 2024 for the Department of Environmental Quality. The House change was limited to increased special-fund support for water and wastewater operator certification testing to expand availability, while the Senate version already included added FTEs for emerging contaminants and fuel inspection work. Members discussed federal funding uncertainty, including IIJA and ARPA-related concerns, but the department said its major projects, including the new laboratory, were not currently in jeopardy. The committee adopted the amendment and then passed the bill as amended 22-0, with Representative Berg as carrier.

Transcript Highlights:

• So in order to pay our bills and catch up on our salaries, we took that money.
• and salaries.
• So in order to make, to pay our bills and catch up on our salaries, we took that money.
• bills and salaries.
• And I assume that all the elected officials are also paid a salary, is that correct?

Committee: All LEGISLATIVE JOINT AUDITING-COUNTIES AND MUNICIPALITIES

Summary: The committee approved the prior minutes and then received a series of audit and compliance updates. Staff reported on delinquent private water and sewer reports, delinquent 2013-2023 water reports, and several municipal accounting code noncompliance cases. Denning and Gum Springs were recommended to be removed from the 60-day clock after staff visits showed improved records, while Fargo, Lead Hill, Almy, Jericho, Haynes, Biggers, Gilmore, and Holly Grove were discussed for repeat findings involving missing audits, poor bookkeeping, unpaid or misapplied street funds, deficit balances, and other accounting deficiencies. Several of these entities were given additional time or had reports filed without objection, while others were deferred for later review. Fargo’s mayor said the town had been understaffed and was working to improve its accounting systems; the committee voted to defer the matter to the August meeting. Lead Hill’s mayor described efforts to complete overdue water audits and improve office procedures, and the committee also postponed action for 60 days. Almy’s mayor and recorder-treasurer were present, and the committee placed the town on the 60-day clock for repeat accounting issues. Biggers and Gilmore both acknowledged long-running audit problems and said they were working with auditors and the IRS; their reports were filed. Holly Grove’s treasurer said she had only recently taken the position, and that report was filed as well. The committee spent considerable time on the street-fund misuse cases for Jericho and Haynes. Jericho was found to have exceeded the statutory threshold tied to fines and costs, with staff noting the town had since become current on its repayment plan; the committee deferred the report to September. Haynes was also behind on its repayment plan for street funds, with staff saying the town had recently made up the shortfall and was current as of the meeting, but the committee still deferred the report to September. Members and staff also discussed how the speed-trap law is applied, whether certain fines and costs count toward the threshold, and the role of the prosecuting attorney in deciding whether to take further action. The committee then reviewed a special report on the Pulaski County Regional Solid Waste Management District, which had six findings involving board approval of payroll and contracts, credit card documentation, vehicle and cell phone use, competitive bidding, electronic funds controls, and unusually high advertising spending. District Director Craig Douglas said the board had delegated some authority, that receipts were missing during a temporary staffing gap, and that advertising was needed to educate the public; he also defended the sale of trailers and other equipment as a way to exit the trailer business. Several members questioned the explanations and the low resale value of equipment, but the committee ultimately deferred the report to September. The meeting also included a recognition of accounting students interning with audit staff and a final set of actions on deferred water and sewer reports: 11 were filed, seven were deferred for lack of proper responses, and a private report on Shannon Hills Water, Sewer, and Fire Department was noted as involving misappropriation by an office manager and inadequate internal controls.

Transcript Highlights:

• 3095, relating to the Hawaii Employer Union Health Benefits Trust Fund, Investment Office Staff Salaries
• </c><00:58:50.240><c> health</c> Relating to the Employee Union Health Benefits Trust Fund staff salaries
• Moving on to SB 3264 SD1 relating to the Hawaii Employer Union Health Benefits Trust Fund staff salaries
• /c><01:25:52.800><c> staff</c> Health Benefits Trust Fund staff Health Benefits Trust Fund staff salaries
• We'll also be adding a salaries.

Bills: SB2543 , SB2014 , SB2115 , SB3095 , SB3264 , SB2114 , SB2117 , SB2246 , SB2519 , SB3055 , SB3131 , SB3144

Committee: House Labor

Transcript Highlights:

• The big issue wasn't working conditions or salaries; it was spiraling health insurance costs.
• 35:16.240><c> their</c> insurance that costs more than their insurance that costs more than their salary
• and pay the district back at the salary and pay the district back at the end<00:35:18.720><c> of</c>
• find with trying to make ends meet on find with trying to make ends meet on the<00:43:14.960><c> salary
• as well as being able to the salary as well as being able to access<00:43:17.119><c> health</c><00:43

Bills: HF238 , HF3381 , HF3754 , HF1049

Committee: House Taxes

Transcript Highlights:

• Have all the school districts been able to reach the minimum salary of $47,500 for all teachers?
• So does the allocation of $100 million for teacher salaries mean that for some schools it will be able
• know, we value you, we need you, and we want you to stay, and maybe we can help offset some of the salary
• Actually, the individual universities set their own salaries.
• It's specifically up to the university to set their salaries. We don't dictate what they can do.

Committee: Senate Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:

• At the bottom, you can see that other charges make up about 30% of expenditures, and salaries and related
• This is salaries and related benefits in other charge positions that the districts and authorities have
• At the bottom, you can see other charges make up about 52% of the expenditures, and salaries and other
• On the right, you see the historical average salary.
• It would be part of salaries for the staffing, other charges for services. Okay.

Committee: House Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:

• we all know that once you get a little experience and get into your profession a few years, your salary
• </c><00:38:40.560><c> on</c><00:38:40.720><c> here</c> postgraduate uh salary on here postgraduate uh
• salary on here correct<00:38:43.480><c> s</c> correct s correct s Dam<00:38:45.359><c> so</c><00:38:
• </c><00:46:50.599><c> and</c><00:46:50.880><c> job</c> know things like salaries and job know things
• like salaries and job requirements<00:46:51.760><c> and</c><00:46:51.920><c> things</c><00:46:52.119>

Committee: Senate Higher Education

Transcript Highlights:

• Salary and training and benefits are important.
• Recruit and recruit effectively, salary and training and benefits are important, but also portfolio is
• Chairman, the respective sheriff's budgets... ...that would also impact a sheriff being able to handle salaries
• and maintain salaries and also to offer increasing salaries periodically.

Committee: House Retirement

Summary: The Retirement Committee met on March 19, 2026, adopted prior meeting minutes without objection, and then heard a series of retirement-system bills. Representative Wiley presented three bills for the Louisiana Sheriffs’ Pension and Relief Fund: HB 33 would expand the back deferred retirement option program from four to five years for members with 35 years of service; HB 34 would allow certain members to retire at age 50 with an actuarially reduced benefit instead of waiting until 55; and HB 35 would allow up to 3% of employer contributions to be credited to the fund’s deposit account to help manage future costs and benefit increases. Witnesses for the sheriffs’ fund described its strong financial condition, including assets over $6 billion and a funded ratio above 90%, and said the bills were intended to reward long service, aid recruitment and retention, and provide flexibility in managing the fund. All three measures were reported favorably without objection. Representative Baralt presented HB 15 and HB 47 for the Assessor’s Retirement Fund. HB 15 sets procedures for correcting administrative errors in benefit payments, including interest on underpayments and repayment terms for overpayments. HB 47 revises the fund’s cost-of-living increase rules and funding deposit account provisions; Baralt noted the system has no unfunded liability and that the changes are tied to pre-funded COLAs. Both bills were reported favorably without objection. Representative Ilg presented HB 17, HB 18, and HB 19 for the District Attorneys’ Retirement System. HB 17 adds the Louisiana District Attorneys Association to the definition of employer and addresses reemployed retirees, with amendments removing a local funding restriction, requiring reporting of reemployed retirees, and adding a sunset in 2031. HB 18 staggers trustee elections so no more than two board seats are up in a year, and HB 19 removes references to the State Medical Disability Board because the system now works directly with physicians. All three bills were amended where applicable and then reported favorably. Representative Bacala presented HB 8, HB 48, and HB 22. HB 8 allows legislative staff designated by the committee to attend executive sessions of state and statewide retirement boards for a term-based authorization. HB 48 allows Louisiana Supreme Court court criers commissioned with the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office to participate in the Sheriffs’ Pension and Relief Fund, with amendments allowing an election between systems and clarifying employer responsibilities. HB 22 revises the Clerks of Court Retirement and Relief Fund’s COLA rules, raising the maximum COLA to 3% under certain funding conditions and tying increases to the fund’s deposit account; a technical amendment adjusted the timing language. All three bills were adopted favorably, with amendments where offered.

Transcript Highlights:

• Salary and training and benefits are important.
• Recruiting and recruiting effectively, salary and training and benefits are important, but also portfolio
• Chairman, the respective sheriff's budgets that would also impact a sheriff being able to handle salaries
• and maintain salaries and also to offer increasing salaries periodically.

Committee: House Retirement

Transcript Highlights:

• We want them to be going to the direct care workforce to make sure those salaries are high enough to
• Those salaries are high enough to attract appropriate, qualified people to work on behalf of people,
• whatever service array was supposed to be provided, because some of the good providers did put it into salaries
• And now... ...supposed to be provided because some of the good providers did put it into salaries, and
• now those salaries might go away, which means the people they're employing might go away, and many of

Committee: Senate Health and Welfare

Transcript Highlights:

• Budgets for critical areas such as teacher salaries, building maintenance, and facility renovations are
• total basic allotment, a staggering amount of the basic allotment that cannot be used for teacher salaries
• a necessity, and every dollar spent on insurance is a dollar less. we cannot put towards teacher salaries
• To put this in perspective, that same $1 million is equivalent to. to 70% of total teacher salaries at
• coastal districts to reinvest funds currently lost to recapture and insurance overhead into teacher salaries

Bills: SB2920 , SB2929 , SB2398 , SB865 , SB401 , SB2619 , SB2927 , SB1395 , SB1972 , SB2540 , SB1635 , SB1581 , SB2008

Committees: Senate Education , Senate Education K-16

Transcript Highlights:

• in here to know that that's everybody's hope, but that's my hope is we can go from just looking at salary
• to salary and benefits.
• similar education and experience working in two different departments who have significantly different salaries
• One of the things I've seen when, with salary comparisons, it's like, especially state by state, and
• saying, well, I'm doing the same job as this individual based on my classification, so I deserve that salary

Committee: Senate State and Local Government

Summary: The State and Local Government Committee met to reconsider and amend House Bill 1165, which dealt with petition circulation requirements and ballot receipt rules. The committee walked through technical changes requested by the Secretary of State’s office, including moving petition-title language, adding a 15-business-day submission deadline for petition packets, and revising language related to mailed absentee ballots and the presidential executive order requiring ballots to be received by election day rather than merely postmarked. The State Election Director explained that the change was intended to provide clarity and consistency for voters and election officials, while Senator Braunberger objected that it was an unnecessary reaction to an executive order that could be challenged. The committee adopted the amendment 5-1 and then passed the bill as amended on a 5-1 vote, with Senator Braunberger voting no. The committee then took up House Bill 1307, which concerned election authority, home rule powers, and related city and county petition/signature provisions. After questions from members and clarification from the Deputy Secretary of State and a League of Cities representative, the committee agreed the amendment was intended to preserve city petition power and align the bill with changes made in another election bill, while also addressing park district language. The amendment was adopted 6-0, and the bill was passed as amended 6-0. Senator Castaneda was designated as the carrier. Finally, the committee discussed House Bill 1580, a study bill on state employee compensation. Members used language from an earlier draft tied to health plan changes and broadened it to study total rewards compensation, including pay grades, classifications, comparisons among state employees across departments and with similar private-sector jobs, equity funding and bonuses, prevailing wages on state projects, and the impact of changes to health plan benefits and premium structures. The committee agreed to make the language more generic and adopted the amendment 6-0, then passed the bill as amended 6-0. House Bill 1601 was not acted on and was held until after floor session so members could continue discussions and await additional input.

Transcript Highlights:

• The target for the average district salary would be the new average salary or 105% of the prior year.
• We change that to up to 105% of the prior year salary. There are two districts that that affects.
• The target for the<01:14:24.640><c> average</c><01:14:25.120><c> district</c><01:14:25.600><c> salary
• <c> salary</c><01:14:29.920><c> or</c> new average salary or new average salary or 105%<01:14:32.560>
• </c> to up to 105% of the prior year salary. to up to 105% of the prior year salary.

Transcript Highlights:

• So the agency nurses get a higher hourly salary but no benefits.
• It's not that there are no nurses; there's an issue of nurses being hired based on the salaries that
• Those school nurses who are not on the teachers' salary.
• that some of hired based on the salaries that some of them<02:06:42.599><c> are</c><02:06:42.760><c>
• I think we need to work on salaries, and I don't think that doing away with certification really is a

Committee: Senate Education

Transcript Highlights:

• And if they're activated, they're paid the lump huge salary of anywhere from 26 to...
• They're paid the lump sum salary of anywhere from $26,000 to $31,000 annually.
• Louis, they paid my salary up to 15 days.
• They paid my salary up to 15 days.
• are they going to give you some time to get back to work where you can build up some hours for your salary

Committee: House Veterans and Armed Forces

Transcript Highlights:

• It's important to understand a large portion of our agency operating budgets tied salary dollars for
• We've had success thanks to the legislature few years ago gave us some additional salary dollars for
• So we could fill those roles with higher salary dollars.
• our issues are now, we did have a a financial constraints that got corrected, you know, obviously salaries
• long term and what your plan is to retains or retain staff now is the time to really justify the salary

Transcript Highlights:

• Moving on to Commonwealth's Attorneys salary increment.
• Moving on to county attorneys salary increment.
• This also amends salary increment.
• Page 33, salary supplement for nationally certified teachers.
• </c> the appropriations for the salary the appropriations for the salary compression<01:02:47.880><c>

Summary: The Free Conference Committee on the 2026 General Assembly budget met to reconcile differences between the House and Senate versions of House Bill 500. Leaders opened by thanking the other chamber’s work, asking members to turn microphones on and off to avoid feedback, and stressing the need to clearly note decision points so both chambers record the same actions. Staff then walked through the bill page by page, explaining that the committee was comparing only House and Senate differences, not the governor’s proposed budget. The discussion covered a wide range of appropriations and language items, including next generation non-911 services, school safety reporting tools, restored funding for brain injury, epilepsy, veteran service, homeless veterans, and rocket docket programs, debt service changes, rural infrastructure, disaster aid caps, Attorney General and Medicaid fraud funding, agriculture and county fair grants, auditor and pension-related appropriations, school facilities and SEEK funding, and numerous education programs. Members also discussed charter-related funding such as Star Academy, Dolly Parton Imagination Library, school resource officers, school-based mental health providers, AP/IB exams, Governor’s Scholars and Entrepreneurs, and several pilot or initiative programs in economic development, energy, and labor. Several items were described as technical corrections or restorations of language and funding, while others reflected differences in amounts or how funds would be distributed. There were several questions and comments from members about wording such as “implement and carry out,” the absence of the governor’s budget from the comparison document, and whether SEEK funding should be tied to teacher raises. The chair and other members emphasized that the committee’s role was to reconcile the two chambers’ budgets, not to adopt the governor’s proposal. Members also raised concerns about opioid settlement funds and the Dolly Parton Imagination Library match rate, with one senator urging restoration of the House language. No final vote or formal action was taken in the portion provided; the meeting primarily consisted of explanation, questions, and discussion of proposed budget differences.

Transcript Highlights:

• If I need to make any changes, if we are hiring somebody, we need to give higher salary.
• We use those funds for that higher salary, but that position now is less that money, so that position
• They are real positions, but they've taken the salary savings, and so that's why they're not letting
• but that position for the higher salary but that position now<00:40:30.040><c> is</c><00:40:30.240><
• </c> but that they've taken the salary but that they've taken the salary savings<00:41:20.839><c> and

Summary: The joint Committee on Higher Education and Agriculture heard Senate Bill 1158, which would authorize general obligation bonds and appropriations for a controlled environment agriculture research and demonstration facility at the Magoon Research and Teaching Site in Manoa. Testimony was overwhelmingly supportive from the University of Hawaiʻi, Department of Agriculture, Farm Bureau, Maui County, MetroGrow Hawaiʻi, and other agricultural groups, who said the project would strengthen food resilience, support year-round production, create clean jobs, and provide a demonstration site for urban vertical farming. University representatives said the project would include demolition of an existing condemned building, a research and lab component, and a multistory vertical farm, with an estimated cost of $6 million and a projected two-year build time. Members questioned whether Manoa was the best location, whether the project fit the university’s broader strategy, and whether the request would displace other priorities. The University said the site is tied to SEAR activities, close to students and faculty, and intended to support hands-on training and commercial-scale production. In response to concerns about soil testing and stakeholder needs, the University said it would restart the soil testing lab using internal funds, though not as part of this bill, and would request additional staff for efficiency. The committee then recessed and later reconvened in decision-making, where the chairs recommended and the committee adopted amendments to SB 1158, including a name correction and deferral to July 31, 2050, and the bill passed with amendments. The committee then took up Senate Bill 663, relating to the University of Hawaiʻi College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources and SEAR research and experiment stations. The University testified that the stations are important for locally relevant agricultural research but are short staffed, with 34 positions down since 2005, and that the bill requests eight new positions, including agricultural technicians and four county community coordinator positions, to improve station operations, community engagement, and workforce development. The Farm Bureau supported the measure, saying the positions are needed to revamp extension services and that Manoa is an appropriate urban location for the vertical farming component. Members questioned why vacant or existing positions could not be used instead of new ones, and the University explained that some listed vacancies reflected old federally funded positions or inaccurate counts, promised a written update, and said it was working to fill current openings. No final vote on SB 663 was reached in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's not going to cause cuts in teacher salaries.
• Chair McClure: I think you should ask that question to Judge Maney in his salary.
• The first one is the public defenders' salary.
• We know that the salaries are completely out of scope.
• We know that the salaries are completely out of scope.