Louisiana 2025 Regular Session: Week One Recap

The 2025 Louisiana Regular Legislative Session began on April 14, 2025. Lawmakers are tasked with addressing critical issues facing the state. With nearly 900 pre-filed bills, the session will tackle a wide range of topics, including insurance reform, education, health, and election integrity.

In his opening-day address, Governor Jeff Landry emphasized economic growth, healthcare transparency, and reducing insurance costs while highlighting recent successes like Meta’s $10 billion AI Data Center investment in Richland Parish. Below is an overview of the first week and summaries of some major bills under consideration.

Week One Highlights

The Legislative session kicked off with a focus on setting priorities and advancing pre-filed legislation, as the deadline for pre-filing bills closed on April 4. (Prefiling bills gives them priority status over bills filed after the deadline.) Lawmakers are working under a tight schedule, with the Legislative session set to conclude by June 12. Key themes emerged during the first week:

• Auto Insurance Reform: Louisiana’s high auto insurance rates, averaging $3,718 annually—75% above the national average—drove discussions, with Governor Jeff Landry and Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple pushing different reforms to address frivolous lawsuits and stabilize the insurance market. The most significant of these will probably be Emily Chenevert‘s House Bill 431 (HB431), which modified comparative fault.

• Education Funding and Teacher Pay: After voters rejected Amendment 2, which promised to lock in the existing teacher salary stipend by reallocating education trust funds, legislators are grappling with alternative solutions to ensure state-based teacher compensation and reform school funding. One significant proposal is House Bill 466 (HB466), introduced by Rep. Josh Carlson. This bill mandates that school systems use savings from the state’s payment of certain unfunded accrued liabilities of the Teachers’ Retirement System of Louisiana (TRSL) to provide salary increases for teachers and other school employees.

• Medical Autonomy: One of the most talked-about bills this session is the Louisiana Medical Freedom Act (HB555), authored by Rep. Beryl Amedee. The bill seeks to protect individual rights by prohibiting discrimination based on a person’s decision to decline medical interventions, such as vaccinations or mask mandates. It bars government agencies and private businesses from imposing such requirements as conditions for employment, service, or access to public spaces. The legislation reflects a growing national movement to reaffirm bodily autonomy and informed consent, echoing broader debates over medical mandates and individual liberties that intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Election Integrity: In a concerted effort to strengthen Louisiana’s election integrity, lawmakers have introduced at least seven bills to strengthen electoral processes. Among these is Senate Bill 226 (SB226), sponsored by Senator Valarie Hodges. It seeks to prohibit foreign adversaries from owning any stake in election system vendors. Other proposed measures address various aspects of election administration, including increasing compensation for election commissioners to attract and retain qualified poll workers, enhancing transparency in ballot handling, and implementing stricter chain-of-custody protocols for voting equipment.

The first week saw committees begin reviewing bills, with debates centering on balancing fiscal constraints with ambitious reforms. Governor Landry’s call for small, impactful changes resonated, as lawmakers aimed to create policies with long-term benefits for Louisiana families.

Auto Insurance Reform Package

• Description: Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple supports a multi-bill package to reduce Louisiana’s exorbitant auto insurance rates. The reforms target frivolous lawsuits, which Temple cites as a primary driver of high costs, and seek to enhance regulatory oversight using data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.

  • Claims Settlement Practices: HB437 by Rep. Gabe Firment addresses claims settlement practices, including requirements for sworn proof of loss statements and penalties for insurers not providing rental car coverage within a reasonable timeframe.

  • Comparative Fault and Medical Transparency: We mentioned HB431, by Rep. Emily Chenevert, proposes modifications to comparative fault rules, while SB230, by Sen. Caleb Kleinpeter, focuses on transparency regarding past medical bills.

  • Attorney Fees and Litigation Financing: HB439 by Rep. Troy Hebert seeks to limit attorney contingency fees on the first $15,000 of recovery to 10%. HB432 by Rep. Emily Chenevert proposes revisions related to disclosing third-party litigation financing agreements.

  • Insurance Advertising and Rate Transparency: HB438 by Rep. Gabe Firment aims to exclude insurer advertising expenses from rate calculations, and SB136 by Sen. Kirk Talbot requires insurers to provide consumers with a rate transparency report when offering a policy.

  • Premium Tax Reduction: HB224 by Rep. Jay Galle proposes lowering the premium tax for auto policies from 3% to 2% to align Louisiana’s rate with the national average.

   

• Status: Actively discussed in committees, with strong backing from state leadership.

• Impact: If passed, these bills could lower premiums for Louisiana, potentially saving drivers significant costs.

TOPS Scholarship Program Reforms

• Description: Bills this Legislative session propose changes to the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS). HB70, by Rep. Ken Brass, revises eligibility criteria. HB77, by Rep. Chris Turner, adjusts award amounts and adds a category for high ACT scorers. HB275, by Rep. Stephanie Berault, allows unused awards to fund graduate studies in Louisiana.

• Status: Under review, with concerns about the estimated $40-50 million cost of implementation.

• Impact: The reforms aim to expand access to higher education but face challenges due to funding constraints.

Health Freedom Reform

• Rep. Beryl Amedee formally introduced the Louisiana Medical Freedom Act as House Bill 555 (HB555) during the 2025 Legislative Session. The act affirms individuals’ right to decline medical interventions without facing penalties or discrimination.

  Key Provisions include:

  • Right to Refuse Medical Interventions: Individuals, including parents or guardians acting on behalf of minors, are granted the explicit right to refuse any medical intervention without facing discrimination or adverse consequences.
  • Prohibition of Discrimination: Government entities and private businesses are barred from imposing medical interventions as prerequisites for employment, access to public buildings, services, or licensure. This includes prohibitions against denying services or imposing penalties based solely on an individual’s medical intervention status.
  • Restrictions on Face Covering Mandates: The bill prohibits mandates requiring individuals to wear face masks or similar facial coverings. Exceptions are made for specific settings where such equipment is deemed necessary for occupational or laboratory safety, following standards adopted by the Louisiana Department of Health.
  • Enforcement and Penalties: Government or business entities that violate the act can be subject to statutory damages of at least $5,000 per infraction. Additionally, prevailing parties in legal actions brought under this law may recover reasonable expenses incurred.

Nutrition Bills

• Description: (SB14), by Senator Patrick McMath, bans the purchase of soft drinks using federal food aid payments. SB117 by Senator Blake Miguez prohibits ultra-processed ingredients in public school meals, aiming to improve public health and childhood nutrition.

• Status: Pending a hearing in the Senate Health and Welfare Committee.

• Impact: The legislation could set a precedent for stricter nutritional standards in public programs, potentially reducing obesity rates.

The Caleb Wilson Act

• Description: Named after a Southern University student killed in a fraternity hazing ritual, Delisha Boyd‘s HB279 requires incoming college freshmen to complete a one-credit-hour anti-hazing course within their first two semesters.

• Status: Filed and under consideration, set to take effect in August 2025 if passed.

• Impact: The bill seeks to prevent hazing-related deaths by educating students on its dangers.

Election Integrity Bills

• Description: At least seven bills this Legislative session aim to strengthen Louisiana’s election processes, including proposals to increase pay for election commissioners and enhance oversight mechanisms.

  • Rep. Annie Spell‘s HB590 covers foreign funding for elections and ballot measures.
  • Senator Alan Seabaugh has SB109, a constitutional amendment that deals with foreign donations in elections.
  • Michael Melerine‘s HB206 blocks local governing authorities (and others) from entering into consent decrees that conflict with Louisiana’s election laws.
  • SB226, by Senator Valarie Hodges, has already been mentioned. It prohibits foreign adversaries from owning any stake in election system vendors.

• Status: Introduced and in early stages of committee review.

• Impact: These measures could improve voter confidence and election administration efficiency.

Looking Ahead

The first week of the 2025 Legislative session set the stage for robust debates on Louisiana’s most pressing issues. With lawmakers navigating fiscal challenges and public expectations, insurance reform and education funding remain top priorities. The nutrition bill signals a commitment to public health. However, bills like the Caleb Wilson Act address social issues with targeted interventions. As committees continue their work, the coming weeks will reveal which proposals gain traction and how lawmakers balance competing demands.

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