Louisiana Legislative Session 2023: Here are bills authored or co-authored by NWLA legislators

Ian Robinson, Shreveport Times
·13 min read

This article has been updated.

Rep. Larry Bagley (R-Stonewall)

  • House Bill No. 97 − Supplemental Pay: Authorizes the legislature to provide by law for the payment of state salary supplements to certain full-time, public, emergency medical services practitioners and requires annual appropriation of such supplements by the legislature. Status is pending approval from House Appropriations Committee.

  • House Bill No. 100 − Supplemental Pay: Authorizes payment of state supplements to the salaries of certain emergency medical services practitioners. Status is pending approval from House Appropriations Committee.

  • House Bill No. 136 − Police/Municipal: Provides for the abolition of the office of police chief in the village of Noble and authorizes the municipality to contact for law enforcement services. Status is pending House introduction.

  • House Bill No. 277 − Tax/Severance Tax: Increases the limit on state severance tax revenue remitted to parishes in which the severance generating the revenue occurs. Status is pending approval from House Ways and Means Committee.

  • House Bill No. 280 − Tax/Severance Tax: Establishes a threshold for "excess severance tax" remitted to parishes and requires parishes to use excess severance tax revenues for economic development activities and infrastructure projects. Status is pending approval from House Ways and Means Committee.

  • House Bill No. 343 − Highways: Re-designates a portion of Louisiana Highway 171 in DeSoto Parish as "Chris Gray Memorial Highway." Status is pending House Transportation, Highways, and Public Works Committee.

  • House Bill No. 590 − Minerals: Specifies that where owners in a drilling unit chooses not to participate in the cost of a unit well, royalty payments must be paid directly from drilling owner to the royalty owner. Status is pending approval from Natural Resources Committee.

Rep. Kenny Cox (D-Coushatta)

  • House Bill No. 164 − TOPS: Lowers the minimum ACT score required for initial qualification for a TOPS-Tech Award from 17 to 15. Status is pending approval from House Education Committee.

  • House Bill No. 167 − Student/Tuition: Provides for a tuition and fee waiver for certain disabled veterans. Status is pending approval from House Education Committee.

  • House Bill No. 503 − Wildlife & Fisheries: Removes a requirement that the Department of Wildlife & Fisheries issue hull identification numbers to vessels manufactured for sale within the state that do not qualify for assignment of a United States Coast Guard hull identification number. Status is pending approval from the House Natural Resources Committee.

Rep. Raymond Crews (R-Bossier City)

  • House Bill No. 81 − Education: Requires public school employees to use certain names and pronouns for students unless parents provide written permission to do otherwise. Status is pending approval from House Education Committee.

  • House Bill No. 236 − State Employees: Requires each state agency that pays officials or employees a salary from state funds to disburse the appropriate portion of such salary to its officials or employees on a monthly or semimonthly basis. Status is pending approval from House and Governmental Affairs.

  • House Bill No. 427 − Health Care/Facilities: Requires healthcare facilities to provide a list of prices for many healthcare services and establishes penalties for noncompliance. Status is pending approval from House Health and Welfare Committee.

  • House Bill No. 456 − Unemployment Compensation: Provides for the duration of unemployment compensation benefits and creates the Job and Reemployment Act. Status is pending approval from House Labor and Industrial Relations Committee.

  • House Bill No. 457 − Vital Records/Birth Certificates: Provides for a commemorative certificate of a nonviable birth prior to the 20th week of gestation. Status is pending from House Health and Welfare Committee.

Rep. Cedric Glover (D-Shreveport)

  • House Bill No. 400 − Higher Education: Requires that the membership of the LSU and Southern University boards of supervisors include certain alumni. Status is pending approval from House Education Committee.

  • House Bill No. 410 − Museums: Establishes the Shreveport Water Works Museum as a facility within the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism. Status is pending approval from House Municipal, Parochial, and Cultural Affairs Committee.

  • House Bill No. 411 − Tax Credits: Authorizes certain investments by businesses issuing life insurance policies to be eligible for the insurance premium tax credit. Status is pending approval from House Ways and Means Committee.

  • House Bill No. 549 − Abortion: Adds rape and incest to the list of acts performed by a physician that shall not be considered an abortion. Status is pending approval from House Administration of Criminal Justice Committee.

  • House Bill No. 553 − Elections: Adds a member to the State Bd. of Election Supervisors who shall be a voter with a disability appointed by the governor. Status is pending approval from House and Governmental Affairs Committee.

  • House Bill No. 578 − Health/Smoking: Establishes a program to encourage and assist the public to quit smoking. Status is pending approval from House Health and Wealth Committee.

Rep. Dodie Horton (R-Haughton)

  • House Bill No. 8 − Schools: Requires the display of the national motto in each classroom in each public school and in each public postsecondary education institution. Status is pending approval from House Education Committee.

  • House Bill No. 44 − Retirement/Fighters: Provides for membership on the board of trustees of the Firefighters' Retirement System (FRS). Status is pending approval from House Retirement Committee.

  • House Bill No. 122 − Children/Newborns: Provides that cytomegalovirus (CMV) shall be added to the list of genetic conditions tested by physicians attending newborn children. Status is pending approval from House Health and Welfare Committee.

  • House Bill No. 216 − Elections/Commissions: Authorizes certain qualified nonresident active duty servicemembers serving at a military installation in La. and their dependents to serve as election commissioners at any precinct in the parish where the military installation is located. Status is pending on approval from House and Governmental Affairs Committee.

  • House Bill No. 466 − Curricula: Provides relative to instruction on and discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity with certain public school students. Status is pending on approval from House Education Committee.

Rep. Patrick Jefferson (D-Homer)

  • House Bill No. 176 − Property: Provides for the transfer of ownership of movable property from a transferee who is not the owner of the property in certain limited circumstances. Status is pending approval from Civil Law and Procedure Committee.

  • House Bill No. 191 − Teachers/Certification: Provides relative to requirements for teacher certification. Status is pending House Education Committee.

  • House Bill No. 192 − Ethics/Nepotism: Allows a family member of a village governing authority member to be appointed or employed by the village under certain circumstances. Status is pending approval from House and Governmental Affairs Committee.

  • House Bill No. 274 − Parishes: Authorizes the governing authority of Lincoln Parish to invest funds that it received from the sale of a hospital and that it placed in a permanent trust in the same manner as post-employment benefits trusts may be invested pursuant to present law. The bill is pending House introduction.

Rep. Sam Jenkins (D-Shreveport)

  • House Bill No. 92 − Political Parties: Increases the number of members of a parish executive committee of a recognized political party in Caddo Parish. Status is pending approval from House Municipal, Parochial, and Cultural Affairs.

  • House Bill No. 348 − Schools: Revises procedures for the reporting and investigation of threats of terrorism or violence at schools. Status is pending approval from House Education Committee.

  • House Bill No. 366 − State Employee/Leave: (Constitutional Amendment) Provides for the establishment of uniform leave policies by law. Status is pending approval from House and Governmental Affairs Committee.

  • House Bill No. 396 − Voting/Registration: Requires the registrar to reinstate the voter registration of a person whose registration was suspended following an order of imprisonment if the person is no longer identified as subject to suspension on certain lists submitted to the registrar or if the registrar receives certain documentation showing the person is no longer subject to suspension. Status is pending approval from House and Governmental Affairs Committee.

  • House Bill No. 538 − Voters/Voting: Provides for additional early voting locations in certain parishes and the payment of certain expenses related to those additional locations. Status is pending approval from House and Governmental Affairs Committee.

Rep. Jack McFarland (R-Jonesboro)

  • House Bill No. 33 − Agriculture: Modifies structural pest control provisions applicable to the terms of research committee members and examination requirements for registered technicians. Status is pending approval from House Agriculture, Forestry, Aquaculture, and Rural Development.

  • House Bill No. 278 − Tax/Severance Tax: (Constitutional Amendment) Increases amounts of severance tax revenues remitted to parishes and requires that portions of these amounts be spent on parish transportation projects. Status is pending approval from House Ways and Means Committee.

  • House Bill No. 384 − Energy: Clarifies that energy produced from forest products' manufacturing bioenergy feedstocks and agricultural harvesting may be considered renewable and carbon neutral. Status is pending approval from House Commerce Committee.

  • House Bill No. 434 − Medicaid: Provides for a quarterly report entitled the "Healthy Louisiana Claims Report" and establishes requirements for the report. Status is pending approval from House Health and Welfare Committee.

  • House Bill No. 502 − Tax/Sales & Use: Removes the requirement that persons and entities seeking to qualify as commercial farmers report income and expenses on a federal Schedule F form or other federal tax form to the Department of Revenue. Status is pending approval from House Ways and Means Committee.

  • House Bill No. 573 − Public Contracts: Specifies that any public contract provision that violates provisions of law governing motor carrier transportation contracts and construction contracts is invalid. Status is pending approval from House Transportation, Highways, and Public Works Committee.

Sen. Barry Milligan (R-Shreveport)

  • Senate Bill No. 51 − Utilities: Provides relative to the Louisiana Electric Utility Energy Transition Securitization Act. Status is pending approval from the Senate Commerce, Consumer Protection and International Affairs.

  • Senate Bill No. 91 − Immovable Property: Provides for prohibition of immovable property transactions by certain foreign actors. Status is pending approval from the Senate Judiciary B Committee.

  • Senate Bill No. 152 − Information Technology: Creates the Louisiana Cybersecurity Commission. Status is pending approval from the Senate Judiciary B Committee.

  • Senate Bill No. 206 − International Affairs: Provides relative to foreign interest in certain Louisiana research facilities. Status is pending approval from the Senate Judiciary B Committee.

  • Senate Bill No. 207 − Schools: Creates the School Safety Act of 2023. Status is pending approval from the Senate Education Committee.

Sen. Robert Mills (R-Bossier City)

  • Senate Bill No. 67 − Self-Insurance: Requires certain financial documents related to the Louisiana Timber and Agriculture Transportation Group Self-Insurance Funds. Status is pending approval from Senate Agriculture, Forestry, Aquaculture, and Rural Development.

  • Senate Bill No. 73 − Children: Provides relative to truancy and assessment and service centers. Status is pending approval from Senate Judiciary B Committee.

  • Senate Bill No. 87 − Planning/Zoning: Provides for the jurisdictional boundaries of the Benton Metropolitan Planning Commission. Status is pending approval from the Senate Local and Municipal Affairs Committee.

  • Senate Bill No. 90 − Water Management: Provides for Cooperative Endeavor Agreement for surface water. Status is pending approval from the Senate Natural Resources Committee.

  • Senate Bill No. 147 − Self Insurance: Creates the Louisiana Churches and Nonprofit Religious Organizations Self-Insured Fund. Status is pending approval from the Senate Insurance Committee.

  • Senate Bill No. 150 − Education Department: Creates the Louisiana Literacy Advisory Commission. Status is pending approval from the Senate Education Committee.

Rep. Alan Seabaugh (R-Shreveport)

  • House Bill No. 208 − Juvenile/Jurisdiction: Lowers the age for consideration as a juvenile in the criminal justice system. Status is pending approval from House Administration of Criminal Justice Committee.

  • House Bill No. 327 − TOPS: Provides that dependent children of parents living overseas meet TOPS residency requirements under certain conditions. Status is pending approval from House Education Committee.

  • House Bill No. 504 − Civil Service/Unclassified: Removes certain employment eligibility requirements for certain unclassified state employees relative to the registration of motor vehicles. Status is pending approval from House and Governmental Affairs Committee.

  • House Bill No. 570 − Wildlife & Fisheries: Establishes a bounty to control feral hogs. Status is pending approval from Natural Resources Committee.

  • House Bill No. 574 − Agricultural Commodities: Creates advertising and marketing regulations and restrictions for industrial hemp, adult-use consumable hemp products, consumable hemp products. Status is pending approval from House Agriculture, Forestry, Aquaculture, and Rural Development.

Sen. Gregory Tarver (D-Shreveport)

  • Senate Bill No. 52 − Administrative Procedure: Provides for technical corrections beyond the authority of the Louisiana State Law Institute to certain citations in the Administrative Procedure Act as amended by Act 211 of the 2021 Regular Session and Act 663 of the 2022 Regular Session.

Sen. Barrow Peacock (R-Bossier City)

  • Senate Bill No. 17 − Local Retirement: Provides for the composition, terms, powers, and duties of the Shreveport police and firefighters' pension boards of trustees. Status is pending from the Senate Retirement Committee.

  • Senate Bill No. 184 − Campaign Finance: Provides that any loans made by a candidate to his own campaign may be repaid from any campaign contributions received in connection with a subsequent election. Status is pending from the Senate and Governmental Affairs Committee.

  • Senate Bill No. 186 − Health Services: Provides relative to the Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact. Status is pending from the Senate Health and Welfare Committee.

  • Senate Bill No. 196 − Contracts: Creates the Litigation Financing Disclosure and Security Protection Act. Status is pending from the Senate Judiciary A Committee.

  • Senate Bill No. 197 − Teachers: Provides relative to teacher certification. Status is pending from the Senate Education Committee.

  • Senate Bill No. 211 − Governmental Regulations: Provides relative to the enforcement of certain provisions of the Louisiana State Uniform Construction Code. Status is pending from the Senate Commerce, Consumer Protection and International Affairs Committee.

Rep. Tammy Phelps (D-Shreveport)

  • House Bill No. 316 − Voting/Registration: Provides that the first Tuesday after the first Monday in May annually shallbe known as La. High School Seniors Voter Registration Day. Status is pending approval House Education Committee.

  • House Bill No. 334 − Financial Institutions: Allows certain financial institutions to secure certain investments and loans with private insurance. Status is pending approval from House Commerce Committee.

  • House Bill No. 367 − Early Childhood: Provides for children's transition from receiving services through EarlySteps to receiving services from local education agencies. Status is pending approval from House Education Committee.

  • House Bill No. 555 − Motor Vehicles/Office: Establishes an amnesty program for fines, fees, and assessments imposed by the office of motor vehicles. Status is pending approval from the House Transportation, Highways, and Public Works Committee.

  • House Bill No. 568 − Motor Vehicle/Violations: Changes the number of days that trigger the imposition of sanctions for lapse of required vehicle liability security. Status is pending approval from the House Transportation, Highways, and Public Works Committee.

Rep. Thomas Pressly (R-Shreveport)

  • House Bill No. 220 − Property/Immovable: Provides with respect to actions to determine ownership or possession. Status is pending approval from the House Civil Law and Procedure Committee.

  • House Bill No. 333 − Architects: Exempts certain civil engineers from architect licensure. Status is pending approval from the House Commerce Committee.

  • House Bill No. 428 − Tax/Income Tax: Extends to estates, trusts, and partnerships the flow-through entity income exclusion allowed to individuals and provides for conditions and requirements relative to the exclusion. Status is pending approval from the House Ways and Means Committee.

  • House Bill No. 468 − Insurance/Health: Requires standards for prior authorization and approval procedures, including timeframes, for health insurance issuers to determine healthcare service claims submitted by healthcare providers.

  • House Bill No. 429 − Tax Credits: Eliminates a requirement that certain corporate income and franchise tax credits granted through the Angel Investor Tax Credit Program be divided in equal portions for two years and extends the tax credit program by four years.

  • House Bill No. 481 − Motor Vehicles: Adds new violations that constitute unauthorized acts in the sale and distribution of motor vehicles by manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers, or their representatives. Status is pending approval from House Commerce Committee.

  • House Bill No. 546 − Engineers: Clarifies whether a person may use the term of engineer, engineering, or practice of engineering. Status is pending approval from the House Commerce Committee.

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This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: What bills are NWLA legislators sponsoring or co-sponsoring?