Addresses the issue of limited access to obstetric care in Louisiana, particularly in rural areas. The bill highlights that nearly one-third of Louisiana's parishes lack maternity care providers or facilities, leading to increased maternal and infant mortality rates. To combat this, the bill mandates the Louisiana Department of Health to ensure that obstetric services are available throughout the state, with no more than 30 miles between providers. It also requires the department to utilize Medicaid funds to support hospitals in offering obstetric services, either on-site or through satellite clinics. The bill is set to become effective upon the governor's signature or upon the lapse of time for gubernatorial action.

Allows certain agricultural cooperatives to claim and receive refundable tax credits for local inventory taxes paid.

Key Provisions: 

- Authorizes the inventory tax credit for farmers, fruitgrowers, or similar cooperatives that market products for members or other producers. 

- Allows these entities to receive refunds for credits that exceed their tax liability, even if they are structured as C-corporations. 

- Applies to tax periods beginning on or after January 1, 2025. 

- Effective upon governor’s signature.

Makes technical wording updates to Louisiana automobile insurance statutes without changing the substance of existing law.

Key Provisions: 

- Retains all current protections and prohibitions in law, including: 

 - No rate increases for non-fault accidents or coverage lapses. 

 - No rate discrimination based on age, disability, or fire service. 

 - No denial of collision/comprehensive coverage due to named storms. 

 - Insurers must assume certain obligations when taking title of a vehicle. 

- Updates language for clarity and consistency across insurance-related statutes. 

- Effective August 1, 2025.

Expands Louisiana’s state sales and use tax exemption for beverages sold in containers.

Key Provisions: 

- Exempts from state sales tax the sale of soft drinks, water, mineral water, carbonated water, and flavored water sold in bottles, jugs, or containers. 

- Applies only to the state portion of sales tax (not local taxes). 

- Applies to taxable periods beginning on or after July 1, 2025. 

- Effective upon governor’s signature.

Makes technical corrections and language updates throughout Louisiana’s property insurance laws without changing the substance of existing protections or requirements.

Key Provisions: 

- Clarifies and standardizes wording related to policy renewal, cancellation, nonrenewal, refunds, rate increases, and discrimination protections. 

- Updates references across statutes regulating property, casualty, and commercial insurance. 

- No policy changes; maintains all current legal obligations and consumer rights. 

- Effective August 1, 2025.

HOUSE floor amendments [LINK] extend the scope of the bill to include landowners, alongside producers, in the legislation's provisions related to soil amendments. Additionally, the amendments clarify that the use of soil amendments must comply not only with the Louisiana Department of Agriculture's rules but also with relevant regulatory requirements set by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

SENATE floor amendment [LINK] sets tolerance standards, additional vote on technical floor amendments. The entities responsible for certifying the safety of the recycled gypsum for agricultural use include an accredited laboratory, the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF), the Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, and, indirectly, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). The accredited laboratory conducts the analysis to ensure gypsum meets analytical tolerances, verifying its safety and quality. The LDAF sets these tolerances and oversees regulatory compliance, while the LSU AgCenter provides scientific expertise to establish the standards. The USDA NRCS indirectly contributes by providing the Conservation Practice Standard, Code 333, which guides the tolerances, ensuring the gypsum is free of harmful contaminants like heavy metals and suitable for agricultural use.

As amended DOES NOT shield the landowner but shields the manufacturer and the "agricultural producer" and requires signoff for usage by the landowner.

AS AMENDED Liability protection applies only to agricultural producers who use gypsum and the suppliers who provide gypsum to these producers. The bill does not protect landowners from liability unless they are directly involved as either an agricultural producer or a supplier. A landowner who merely grants authorization for gypsum use on their land, without active involvement as a producer or supplier, does not receive liability protection under this bill.

This is similiar to companies such as Bayer (German) and other chemical companies are trying to get passed that would hold their companies harmless for their products.

Proposes the enactment of R.S. 3:1424 to limit liability for agricultural producers and suppliers utilizing gypsum—a byproduct of various manufacturing processes in Louisiana—as a soil amendment.

The bill outlines several findings, including:

1. Gypsum has a longstanding history as a fertilizer and soil amendment in the United States.
2. Byproduct gypsum, if not recycled, leads to costly storage and landfill disposal.
3. Gypsum provides essential plant nutrients and enhances overall plant growth.
4. Its application can improve soil properties and reduce erosion and nutrient loss.

To benefit from the proposed limitation of liability, the following conditions must be met:

1. Compliance with the provisions of R.S. 3:1424 and any related rules or regulations.
2. Acquisition of gypsum at no cost from a source where it is stored as a manufacturing byproduct.
3. Utilization of gypsum on the producer's land, or with written authorization from the landowner, after it has been analyzed by an accredited laboratory and meets analytical tolerances established by the Department of Agriculture, in consultation with the Louisiana State University Agricultural Center.

The bill also authorizes the commissioner to promulgate rules and regulations to implement its provisions, including setting analytical tolerances for gypsum. If enacted, the law will take effect on August 1, 2025.