Bob Owen — Senate - District 1
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Live from the 2025 Regular Session
(658 Senate floor votes analyzed - so far...)
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Sponsored Bills
SB125: Provides relative to explosives. (8/1/25) (EN SEE FISC NOTE SG RV)
Last Action: Effective date 8/1/2025.
Date: 2025-06-20
Author: Robert Owen (R)
Co-sponsors: Alonzo Knox (D)
📅 Not Scheduled
SB124: Provides relative to the Louisiana Scenic Rivers Act. (8/1/25)
Last Action: Introduced in the Senate; read by title. Rules suspended. Read second time and referred to the Committee on Natural Resources.
Date: 2025-04-14
Author: Robert Owen (R)
Pending: 🏛 Natural Resources 4 📅 Not Scheduled
LOCAL
Revises Louisiana Scenic Rivers Act, removes scenic designation from specific waterways in St. Tammany Parish, and temporarily allows drainage-related dredging on West Pearl River without permits (Aug 1, 2025 - Aug 1, 2033).
Key Provisions:
- Adjusts protected segment of Tchefuncte River.
- Removes scenic status from several St. Tammany waterways.
- Permits drainage improvements on West Pearl River segment without permits.
Effective: August 1, 2025
SB196: Provides relative to homelessness. (8/1/25) (EG INCREASE GF EX See Note)
Last Action: Read by title and returned to the Calendar, subject to call.
Date: 2025-05-29
Author: Robert Owen (R)
📅 Not Scheduled
SENATE committee amendments [LINK] three pages of largely technical replacing terms like "individual" with "defendant" or "person" and standardize legal phrasing by changing "must" or "will" to "shall" and "should" to "may". No major policy change made.
Creates the "Homelessness Court Program Act" allowing district courts to establish specialized court programs for homeless individuals facing criminal charges. Participants may receive treatment, housing, and job support in lieu of traditional penalties. Sets eligibility, program structure, and discharge procedures.
Also creates the crime of "unauthorized camping on public property," punishable by fines or jail time. Offenders may be eligible for the homelessness court program if available.
Effective August 1, 2025.
SB242: Provides for the authority of the Public Service Commission. (gov sig) (OR INCREASE SG RV See Note)
Last Action: Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Local and Municipal Affairs.
Date: 2025-04-28
Author: Robert Owen (R)
Pending: 🏛 Local & Municipal Affairs 6 📅 Not Scheduled
Transfers regulatory authority over the New Orleans Sewerage and Water Board from the New Orleans City Council to the Louisiana Public Service Commission (PSC).
Key Provisions:
- Requires PSC approval of water and sewerage rate increases instead of City Council approval.
- Grants the PSC authority to audit, examine, and subpoena records from the Sewerage and Water Board.
- Allows the PSC to set terms for audits and access working papers of outside accountants.
- Shifts rate dispute appeal authority from the City Council to the PSC.
- Repeals a section of existing law (R.S. 33:4159.2) likely tied to now-removed City Council oversight.
SR145: Requests the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners to promulgate rules relative to physician assistants.
Last Action: Enrolled. Signed by the President of the Senate and sent to the Secretary of State by the Secretary of the Senate on 6/13/2025.
Date: 2025-06-12
Author: Robert Owen (R)
📅 Not Scheduled
SR149: Commends the Chalmette High School 2025 Management Team on winning the National ProStart Invitational held in Baltimore, Maryland.
Last Action: Enrolled. Signed by the President of the Senate and sent to the Secretary of State by the Secretary of the Senate on 5/30/2025.
Date: 2025-06-01
Author: Robert Owen (R)
📅 Not Scheduled
SR189: Commends and congratulates the Lake Castle Slidell Private School SeaPerch team for third place achievement at the 2025 International SeaPerch Competition.
Last Action: Enrolled. Signed by the President of the Senate and sent to the Secretary of State by the Secretary of the Senate on 6/13/2025.
Date: 2025-06-12
Author: Robert Owen (R)
📅 Not Scheduled
Requires applicants seeking licenses as dealer-distributors, users, blasters, or handlers of explosives to bear the costs associated with background investigations and criminal history checks conducted by the Department of Public Safety and Corrections (DPS&C).
Key Provisions:
- Shifts the financial responsibility for conducting background investigations and criminal history checks fully to the applicants.
- Previously, only fingerprint processing costs were specifically required to be covered by the applicant; this bill expands that requirement to include all associated background check expenses.
Effective date: August 1, 2025.