Limits the amount recoverable for past medical expenses in civil actions to promote fair and consistent compensation and reduce inflated medical claims.

Key Provisions: 

- Defines "health insurance coverage" to include all major public and private health plans. 

- Defines "usual and customary rate" as 120% of Medicare or 170% of Medicaid, or local provider averages if no public rate applies. 

- Limits recovery of past medical expenses to the lesser of: 

 (1) The amount actually paid to a provider by or on behalf of the claimant; or 

 (2) The usual and customary rate. 

- Applies only to claims not governed by Louisiana’s medical malpractice laws (R.S. 40:1231.1 or 1237.1). 

- Applies prospectively to causes of action filed on or after January 1, 2026.

Purpose: 

Reduces excessive medical billing in civil litigation and aligns recoverable damages with actual market costs.

SENATE committee amendment technical, floor amendment added "No additional bonding or further application or examination shall be required because of the expanded jurisdictional limits authorized b this Subsection."

LOCAL

Authorizes reciprocal notarial authority for notaries appointed in St. Martin and St. Landry Parishes.

Key Provisions: 

- Allows notaries qualified in St. Martin or St. Landry Parish to perform notarial acts in both parishes without additional bonding, application, or examination.

- Effective August 1, 2025.

SENATE floor amendment set 1764 [LINK] requires the Department of Education to coordinate with the Louisiana Center for Safe Schools to provide mapping data of all public schools, ensuring law enforcement has necessary tools for school safety.

SENATE floor amendment set 1786 [LINK] clarify that charter schools must comply with requirements related to school mapping data (R.S. 17:416.16.1), removing their exemption from this specific statutory mandate.

SENATE floor amendment set 1752 [LINK] The removed lines specified that implementing this bill would depend on the legislature appropriating funds for it. By removing this language, implementation of the bill no longer explicitly requires legislative funding.

SENATE finance committee amendment [LINK] requires specific funding appropriation of over two million in ONE TIME expenses.

SENATE ED committee amendments [LINK] clarify that the bill refers to the Louisiana Center and require the center to perform specified duties. They also establish a phased schedule for when public schools must begin collecting data, based on building age and student enrollment, starting in the 2026-2027 school year and continuing through 2030-2031.

Requires detailed school mapping data for public schools to aid emergency response, restricts access under Public Records Law, and mandates compatibility with existing public safety software.

Key Provisions: 

- Requires collaboration between BESE, Dept. of Education, and local school systems to create detailed digital school maps for emergency response use. 

- Mandates distribution of school maps to local law enforcement, public safety, emergency offices, and the Center for Safe Schools. 

- Data must be stored within the U.S., printable, compatible with existing software, verified onsite, and clearly labeled with emergency-critical details. 

- Prohibits independent modification without updating public safety agency software. 

- Exempts maps from public records disclosure. 

- Implementation subject to legislative appropriation.

Effective August 1, 2025.

Updates Louisiana's congressional district boundaries based on revised precinct shapefiles from January 16, 2025. It maintains the existing number of districts (six), revising boundaries according to updated population and precinct information, effective for congressional elections starting in 2026 and for all other purposes beginning January 3, 2027.

Key Provisions:

- Repeals existing congressional districts outlined in R.S. 18:1276.1 and establishes new districts in R.S. 18:1276.

- Redistricting based on "2025 Precinct Shapefiles," reflecting precinct changes submitted by parish authorities as of January 16, 2025.

- Ensures districts are nearly equal in population, complying with federal constitutional requirements.

- Clarifies district boundaries remain effective despite future precinct changes by parish authorities.

- Protects the terms of current officials holding offices tied to existing district boundaries until January 3, 2027.

- Immediate effectiveness for the 2026 elections; full effectiveness for all purposes at noon on January 3, 2027.

NOTE: Still leaves a suspect district stretching from northwest to southeast. Map at the bill link:

https://www.legis.la.gov/legis/ViewDocument.aspx?d=1403794

Provides updated Senate district boundaries based on the 2020 census and precinct changes as of January 16, 2025, effective for elections in 2027 and for all other purposes starting January 10, 2028.

Key Provisions:

- Updates boundaries for all 39 Louisiana Senate districts according to the most recent precinct data ("2025 Precinct Shapefiles").

- Maintains the current number of Senate districts (39).

- Does not shorten the term of any current senator; applies fully to elections occurring after January 10, 2028.

- Precinct definitions reflect the latest parish-level adjustments submitted through January 2025.

- Clarifies that district boundaries remain in effect regardless of subsequent precinct changes by local authorities.

This redistricting is required to comply with the constitutional mandate to reapportion based on the latest federal census data.

Prohibits health insurers from refusing enrollment or discriminating against retired employees of district attorneys' offices who previously had group coverage provided by the office, provided the retiree is not yet eligible for Medicare and the office is funded by a local dedicated sales tax. The bill ensures equal treatment in coverage between active and retired employees.

Key Provisions: 

- Prohibits insurers from denying enrollment to retirees previously covered by the district attorney's office group health plan solely due to retirement status.

- Mandates equal treatment in coverage, terms, and benefits for retirees compared to active employees, provided retiree coverage is offered by the office.

- Clarifies that the bill does not compel district attorneys' offices to offer retiree coverage or restrict their eligibility decisions.

- Effective August 1, 2025.