[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6250483,"mediaKeyId","3200662-8b8ea467c12dfa36ac0b2b176fdb10a6","parentId",3200662,"title","House codifies employer-reporting portal, raises weekly work-search requirement to five activities","audioSeconds",2045,"startMs",7512000,"endMs",9557000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3200662-8b8ea467c12dfa36ac0b2b176fdb10a6&start=7512&end=9557","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3200662-8b8ea467c12dfa36ac0b2b176fdb10a6/thumbnail_7512000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6250483/Louisiana/House-codifies-employer-reporting-portal-raises-weekly-work-search-requirement-to-five-activities","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6250483-54800449f1c565d77604292019fac16a/orig.mp4?Expires=1772849904&Signature=YZwDUgQYNy7r69L1R7zAd81yBSCDIlRJyynASzeEN3D2X8DkdVL9JYdpNX4Z77U31yxeuUeNR~qqie8wjyTZ8YDp5A0lgf~6OiZMySnhN31TcSTQipxucqWiFg7aI3pSu78aZmn~ioy1vde~4ZB1RikWmNpODrSYkNkrM-t9ZvuTg3dy-fA2~AiHSpBf00OUevYu7zTCYTkLr2E4RUQgLzOTJJzuK~6u9OfPm0-h5UwKqHPnxoZNiNoQ22UeiWUVX3qRUNBYNHU04ZmMCxm2TUa9ucknYGwhFfisFmJ7u2-G8K23DvtBvw88oxgWpnAqk3WQg6kAlkEDBPS3r3u-yA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Louisiana Legislature","date","2025-05-05T00:00:00Z","article","Representative Hebert told members that House Bill 153 has three core provisions: codify an existing Louisiana Workforce Commission reporting portal for missed interviews, increase the required weekly work-search activities from three to five, and require the commission to adopt rules to define acceptable work-search actions that the legislature could later codify.

\"This bill would codify that and put that into statute, because it's a practice that has already been in process and is working,\" Representative Hebert said, describing the portal the department implemented in the previous year.

Supporters said the portal has produced data and that employers had asked for the tool. Hebert said the portal received about 3,500 name submissions over the first year and that, after investigation, a small fraction—about 31—were found to be ineligible or in violation of reporting criteria.

Members raised concerns about practical effects on claimants, especially in rural areas. Representative Willard asked why the legislature should move from three to five weekly work-search actions and whether the change would disadvantage residents in parts of the state with fewer local opportunities. Hebert said the department will define acceptable activities by rule and will return proposed rules to the legislature for review. Representative Phelps and others urged the department to clarify whether training programs are already in place and how they would be administered if listed as acceptable search activities.

Hebert offered and the House adopted a technical amendment that restored statutory language specifying that participation in an approved training program occurs \"when so directed by the administrator.\" The sponsor said that language clarifies who approves training programs as acceptable work-search activity.

The House approved HB 153 on final passage, 73 yeas to 24 nays. Supporters said the measure formalizes an administrative practice and gives the Workforce Commission authority to adopt clear rules that the legislature will be able to review.

Discussion vs. decision: The House decision was to pass HB 153. The debate produced directions about rulemaking (LWC to define acceptable work-search activities and training programs) and raised concerns about rural access and the administrative burden on claimants.

What happens next: The Louisiana Workforce Commission will draft rules defining acceptable work-search activities and training-program criteria; the commission also will operate and maintain the employer reporting portal now placed into statute.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Commerce May 5, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Louisiana House voted to codify an employer-reporting portal and to raise the weekly work-search requirement for unemployment claimants from three to five activities in House Bill 153, which passed 73-24 on April 30.","taxTitle","Commerce, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Committees, Legislative, Louisiana","taxId",20971,"location","Louisiana","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6250488,"House approves bill to ban foreign funding for ballot measures; sponsor calls it preventive",2629,3333000,704000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3200662-8b8ea467c12dfa36ac0b2b176fdb10a6&start=3333&end=704","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3200662-8b8ea467c12dfa36ac0b2b176fdb10a6/thumbnail_3333000.jpg","/articles/6250488/Louisiana/House-approves-bill-to-ban-foreign-funding-for-ballot-measures-sponsor-calls-it-preventive","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6250488-35c8cfeef84806ae14d8a77eef8497f9/orig.mp4?Expires=1772849904&Signature=e7H~MPO3n9CkJRgiERJwRlcfriBxndeAuWdPXgfA~gyiugRgJ5pbbqa7MMxbDrAd0PcjZ-KWFqO5lb1G~91X36Esr7M~kTOEMhN~SBGWvmWZ7pXKUdU3FEncKe3EaG6MRRpjRBHAmX-K-HB9zr76BL-hqMWowctYC6Pc70zAiCm6WZl~xnS2zKM5dUdOPQd5-PNLHMExk7CCAa9hd7dvLxdnwLBl-30cwahhQgb9kAssPtSdRSpGf7xwrO2IURZeNxsYzdFWeLtiTTWuhGhPMas4s5dI4yBfJuNHJ~afRcx5ZUgqxTvWox30Bloqqa7dcH9PMx8uAv17DDobVIy6lQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representative Spell introduced House Bill 590, aimed at prohibiting foreign governments, foreign entities and noncitizens from donating funds, goods or services to support or oppose ballot propositions, candidates, or parties and from funding election administration.

\"This bill explicitly prohibits foreign entities from attempting to control or influence the outcome of measures on the ballot,\" Representative Spell said. He described HB 590 as a statutory companion to prior legislation and to Senate measures and said the bill closes a federal-law gap that, in his view, left ballot measures open to foreign money in other states.

Members questioned scope and enforcement. Representative Willard asked whether the bill would treat donated volunteer time the same as an in-kind service; Spell said the measure targets \"services offered as an in-kind donation at a certain level of heftiness,\" and that routine volunteer activity was not the intent. Spell cited election-code language identifying \"foreign\" as defined in La. R.S. 18:1505.2 and said the bill builds on Act 200 of the 2023 Regular Session and on SB 109 (current Senate companion).

Representative Marcel and Representative Mandy Landry asked whether the bill applies to private companies that are domestic but provide goods or services; Spell said the provision on election administration was meant to cover both foreign and domestic nongovernmental sources when they donate to the conduct of an election.

Representative Doctor Carpenter and others sought clarity about whether a noncitizen who volunteers at a campaign table or hands out literature would be banned; Spell and other members said they did not believe ordinary volunteering would be precluded but that the sponsor would work on an amendment to clarify volunteer exemptions.

The House adopted technical amendments, accepted legislative bureau edits and then approved HB 590 on final passage, 87 yeas to 7 nays. The bill's sponsor described it as preventive legislation in light of reported large sums used by foreign entities in other states to influence ballot measures.

Discussion vs. decision: The floor discussion centered on definitional scope (what counts as a \"service\" or a \"foreign entity\") and implementation questions (who enforces and how donations are traced). The formal decision was final passage of HB 590.

What happens next: HB 590 will move on under the legislative process; supporters said they will work on clarifying amendments to ensure volunteer activity is not unintentionally prohibited.

","The Louisiana House on April 30 passed House Bill 590 to prohibit funding, goods and specified services from foreign governments, foreign entities and noncitizens when used to influence ballot propositions or the conduct of elections.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6250493,"House advances bill directing secretary to update workers' compensation medical fee schedule",1357,5804000,7161000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3200662-8b8ea467c12dfa36ac0b2b176fdb10a6&start=5804&end=7161","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3200662-8b8ea467c12dfa36ac0b2b176fdb10a6/thumbnail_5804000.jpg","/articles/6250493/Louisiana/House-advances-bill-directing-secretary-to-update-workers-compensation-medical-fee-schedule","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6250493-480cb5ab528081ee7c75d356257a32f8/orig.mp4?Expires=1772849904&Signature=nIlRrxzAORcZzqzKl5RinLHtOzosGrP3pCPcfsggNWtd5Xr-yd12htmUcTFbApANGQF7RtXzDxeteis~onRYheM~m845TcHYPp4av8IiaAFidm3CP~DIE~vmUp2mqfEX9qrTAAvxE1FguO8JdJ~Tfl6s0AjxbNsJQPGL-m8BCiL-j5~ctoPVNMk8r8EHoxVy9n5dxnRWUbxE9NUoq0Pa52mtP7RXbx7b4gCX~sbfpX~ZFv0eYWDAHhElb-S~tU7GC-MBuJgOD8TmeIbQE-COKK4qDiudlzLpvTbipuDbuw2cFg3XU4IPC7wa9VWcvT603V0S8gx0mg7xfLOWv-S69g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representative Echols asked the House to approve House Bill 117, a measure directing the state to update its workers' compensation medical reimbursement schedule and to authorize the assistant secretary to promulgate that schedule.

Supporters said the existing fee schedule has not been updated in decades and hampers access to providers. \"This is a bill that we passed last year, exact same bill that would allow the secretary to establish an updated fee schedule for the state and reduce administrative burden by providers,\" Representative Echols said on the House floor.

The bill instructs the secretary to compare Louisiana to \"similar regional states\" and to produce a schedule intended to make reimbursement rates more competitive in the South. Echols told members Louisiana currently ranks near the top nationally for workers' compensation costs and that modernizing reimbursement would help businesses and could expand the pool of providers willing to accept workers' compensation cases.

Opponents and questioners urged caution. Representative Willard pressed for detail about which \"similar characteristics\" should govern comparisons and whether Medicare-based formulas would be used; Echols responded that the secretary would review regional medical-cost benchmarks rather than adopt Medicare directly. Representative Laura Bedaine and other members raised concerns about implementation timelines and about whether the secretary could meet a near-term deadline cited in the fiscal note.

Echols acknowledged an administrative cost for the work, noting a fiscal estimate \"indicating that it would cost maybe a hundred thousand dollars\" to develop and implement the schedule; he said the department told the committee it could meet the statutory timeline. Members also questioned whether updating the schedule could raise fees for certain specialties; Echols said fee increases would be driven by data and by equipment or supply-cost changes, and that the bill is intended to improve access to care.

The House debated oversight questions, including who would appoint participants to the stakeholder group that helps develop recommendations. Echols said the bill assigns that role to the secretary and specifies the types of stakeholders to recruit; members pressed for additional procedural safeguards and committee oversight during implementation.

After extended floor discussion and a roll-call vote that followed a quorum lockout, the House recorded 61 yeas and 26 nays and the bill \"finally passes.\" The measure will move on to the next stage of consideration.

Discussion vs. decision: The House decision was to pass HB 117 on final passage. The debate produced directions for executive-branch implementation (secretary-led stakeholder group, timeline) and requests for committee oversight, but it did not amend or delay the directive to promulgate a new reimbursement schedule.

What happens next: The secretary designated in the bill will carry out the study and rulemaking called for in the measure; the legislature retains the opportunity to review proposed rules and the new schedule when submitted.

","The Louisiana House on April 30 approved House Bill 117, directing the state secretary to update the workers' compensation medical reimbursement schedule and to promulgate a new fee schedule based on comparisons with similar regional states.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

House codifies employer-reporting portal, raises weekly work-search requirement to five activities

House approves bill to ban foreign funding for ballot measures; sponsor calls it preventive

House advances bill directing secretary to update workers' compensation medical fee schedule