Imposes a progressive tax on sports wagering and increases funding for early childhood education. 

Key Provisions: 

- Replaces flat tax rates on sports wagering with a progressive structure: 

 (1) 20% on net proceeds up to $30M 

 (2) 25% on proceeds $30M–$50M 

 (3) 30% on proceeds $50M–$100M 

 (4) 35% on proceeds $100M–$200M 

 (5) 40% on proceeds over $200M 

- Applies rates to both onsite and online sports wagering. 

- Maintains 15% rate on some electronic wagering not covered by main provisions. 

- Increases dedicated sports wagering revenue to the Louisiana Early Childhood Education Fund from 25% to 40%, and raises the cap from $20M to $30M annually.

Modifies the Advisory Council on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in Louisiana. The key changes include increasing the council’s membership from 24 to 26 by adding the chancellor of Southern University and an at-large member appointed by the council chairman. It also allows the Board of Regents to cover travel and lodging expenses for the student representative. Additionally, the bill expands the council’s duties by requiring it to help identify methods for sharing best practices regarding campus safety. The legislation seeks to enhance the role of HBCUs in the state’s educational and policy landscape.

The bill does not specify whether these expenses would come from existing budget allocations or require additional funding, so it likely grows costs for the Board of Regents while we are looking for cuts. Perhaps they could look at the current structure of this board and make room elsewhere by eliminating other seats if this is a priority?

Proposes amendments to the Louisiana Code of Criminal Procedure Article 334 regarding the notice of a warrant for arrest.

Key changes include:

• Expanding the recipients of the notice of a warrant for arrest to include the defendant, bail agent or bondsman, personal surety, and commercial surety.
• Allowing electronic notification for agents or bondsmen who opt-in by filing a "Notice of Electronic Notification Opt-In" form.
• Clarifying that failure to send notice to both the commercial surety and the opted-in agent or bondsman within 60 days of the defendant’s failure to appear releases the surety from all obligations under the bail undertaking.

The bill aims to improve transparency and efficiency in notifying relevant parties about an arrest warrant while ensuring compliance with bail obligations.

Proposes the enactment of R.S. 13:4163.1 to provide peremptory grounds for continuances and extensions in legal and administrative proceedings for legislators and certain legislative employees during legislative sessions or constitutional conventions. This would allow such individuals, when they are parties or attorneys in a case, to request delays without opposition during specified periods surrounding legislative activities.

The bill defines "legislative employee" to include the clerk of the House of Representatives, the secretary of the Senate, and full-time employees of the House, Senate, or Legislative Bureau during the legislative session or other relevant times. The peremptory grounds for continuance or extension apply from 21 days before the convening of a legislative session or constitutional convention to 30 days after its adjournment sine die.

To obtain a continuance or extension, the legislator or legislative employee must file a motion at least five days prior to the proceeding or deadline, accompanied by an affidavit from the presiding officer, clerk, or secretary of the respective house, confirming the individual's active participation in the session or convention. Notably, legislators are exempt from the affidavit requirement.

The motion can be filed electronically, provided that all enrolled counsel or parties receive a copy simultaneously. Service of the motion must be effected by electronic means to the designated addresses of counsel or parties, with service considered complete upon transmission, unless the sender learns that the transmission did not reach the intended recipient.

Certain exceptions are outlined in the bill, including cases involving civil prescriptive or peremptive periods, criminal statutes of limitations, and criminal cases where the death penalty is sought. Additionally, the bill acknowledges the authority of the Louisiana Supreme Court to regulate disciplinary proceedings against legislators or legislative employees.

HOUSE committee amendments [LINK] refine these provisions.The newly added Subsection F to R.S. 40:1203.3 stipulates that individuals shall not be disqualified from employment solely based on a prior criminal record unless the conviction directly relates to the position sought. Employers are now required to consider factors such as the nature and seriousness of the offense, the specific duties of the job, the time elapsed since the conviction, circumstances surrounding the offense, and evidence of rehabilitation.

WUT? Mena wants rapists and murderers to be considered for driving ambulances?

Proposes changes to the employment eligibility criteria for ambulance personnel in Louisiana. The bill aims to amend R.S. 40:1203.3(F) and repeal R.S. 40:1203.3(A) through (C) to revise the current prohibitions regarding the hiring of individuals with certain criminal convictions.

Key provisions of the proposed legislation:

1.    Removal of absolute hiring prohibitions:

The bill seeks to eliminate existing laws that categorically prohibit the hiring of licensed ambulance personnel or nonlicensed individuals convicted of specific offenses, such as first and second-degree murder, first and second-degree feticide, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, and first-degree rape.

2.    Introduction of conditional hiring criteria:

Under the proposed law, a criminal conviction would not automatically disqualify an individual from employment as ambulance personnel. Disqualification would occur only if the conviction directly relates to the position or occupation sought.

3.    Factors for consideration in hiring decisions:

Employers and licensing entities would be required to assess the following factors when determining the relevance of a conviction to the job role:

o  The nature and seriousness of the offense

o  The specific duties and responsibilities of the position

o  The time elapsed since the conviction

o  Circumstances surrounding the offense, including any mitigating or aggravating factors

o  Evidence of the individual's rehabilitation or treatment post-conviction

HOUSE floor amendments technical

HOUSE committee amendments [LINK] modify the composition of a board or committee related to the Regional Transit Authority (RTA). Specifically, they clarify and reorganize labor representation by including one representative from the Amalgamated Transit Union, another rotating representative from other labor unions representing RTA workers. Also ensures representation from Ride New Orleans.

Revises the governance and oversight structure of the Regional Transit Authority (RTA), including board membership, meeting requirements, training standards, and advisory board changes.

 Key Provisions:

- Modifies RTA board composition to include rotating appointments between certain House and Senate districts and adjusts appointment authority if a parish opts out.

- Requires newly appointed board and advisory members to complete at least two hours of transit-specific training within a year of taking office.

- Reduces board meeting frequency from monthly to at least 10 meetings annually.

- Updates quorum rules to account for single-parish representation and prohibits proxy voting.

- Repeals provisions allowing the board to investigate internal misconduct and enforce penalties.

- Expands the advisory board to include a union representative selected jointly by local unions and adds Delgado Community College to the educational institutions represented.

- Lowers the number of AFL-CIO appointees to the advisory board from two to one.

- Clarifies that costs for third-party audits requested by cities or parishes must be covered by the requesting entity, including reimbursement for staff time.