Louisiana Senate adopts multiple resolutions, advances bills and hears visitors including Congresswoman Julia Letlow

The Louisiana State Senate on the floor adopted multiple resolutions unanimously, advanced a series of bills toward final action and received guests including U.S. Representative Julia Letlow.

The chamber adopted Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 7 and several House concurrent resolutions by recorded voice or roll-call votes with no recorded nays; the secretary announced unanimous tallies (for example, SCR 7: 33 yeas, 0 nays; HCR 6: 34 yeas, 0 nays; HCR 10: 35 yeas, 0 nays; HCR 12: 35 yeas, 0 nays; HCR 14: 36 yeas, 0 nays). Senators moved adoption on the floor and the secretary closed the machines to record the results.

Votes at a glance

- Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 7 (Sen. Foyle) — adopted; machine vote recorded as 33 yeas, 0 nays. - House Concurrent Resolution No. 6 (Rep. Ferment) — adopted; 34 yeas, 0 nays. - House Concurrent Resolution No. 10 (Rep. Knox) — adopted; 35 yeas, 0 nays. The resolution commemorates victims of Hurricane Katrina and designates Aug. 29 as Katrina Day in remembrance. - House Concurrent Resolution No. 12 (Rep. Boriak) — adopted; 35 yeas, 0 nays (commendation for Brian Beam on retirement). - House Concurrent Resolution No. 14 (Rep. Carpenter) — adopted; 36 yeas, 0 nays (April 2025 designated Black Maternal Health Week in Louisiana). - A slate of Senate bills were ordered engrossed and reported as passed to or through third reading during the session (language on the floor: "ordered and engrossed and passed a third reading" or "ordered and engrossed and passed to third reading"). Those listed on the floor include: Senate Bills 5, 9, 21, 38, 65, 72, 75, 78, 98, 116, 118, 144 and others identified by committee report. (Vote tallies for these third-reading actions were not announced on the floor.) - Introductions laid over: Senate Bill 234 (Sen. Edmonds) — an act to provide for the St. George Community School System and its geographic boundaries; the bill was laid over. Senate Bill 235 (Sen. Duplessis) — an act to provide a credit toward a homeowner's insurance policy premium; laid over.

Why it matters

Several of the bills advanced by the Senate would change state law on subjects ranging from tax credits and local bonding authority to criminal law and professional regulation; passage to or through third reading moves those measures closer to final enactment or conference with the House. The St. George Community School System bill, introduced by Sen. Edmonds and laid over, would establish a separate school system in East Baton Rouge Parish if it becomes law.

Most important details

Committee chairs reported results of committee work before the floor session. Patrick McMath, chair of the Committee on Health and Welfare, and other committee chairs — including Kirk Talbot (insurance), Caleb Kleinpeter (senate and governmental affairs) and Patrick Connick (transportation) — read committee reports that sent specific bills forward with or without amendments.

U.S. Representative Julia Letlow addressed the Senate from the floor. "I want to truly build that partnership," Congresswoman Julia Letlow said, thanking senators for their work and for educating her about district concerns in Washington, D.C. She added it was "a great pleasure and honor" to speak to the chamber and encouraged continued collaboration.

Senator Barry (identified on the floor as Senator Wheat) and other members used personal-privilege remarks to introduce visiting groups. Senator Wheat spoke at length about the Louisiana strawberry industry and urged support for farmers, saying the industry faces workforce shortages and a new fungal disease threatening crops; he noted the office of the commissioner of agriculture, Mike Strain, is working with growers and extension services. "We're gonna try to work on some aspects of that," Wheat said, urging senators to support a forthcoming resolution and outreach to Washington.

Several civic and educational delegations visited the chamber: members of Zeta Phi Beta Incorporated and Phi Beta Sigma Incorporated, the Greater Shreveport Youth Leadership Program, Tulane University scholarship recipients, representatives of the Louisiana Nursery and Landscape Association (Lisa Luke), and attendees for AARP Caregiver Day. The Alabama-style invocation and pledge opened the session but did not form part of legislative action.

Committee and procedural notes

Multiple committee reports were read into the record. The Senate Committee on Revenue and Fiscal Affairs, Judiciary A, Transportation, and other committees announced upcoming meetings for April 22. The floor concluded with Sen. Talbot's motion to adjourn and reconvene on Tuesday, April 22 at 3:30 p.m.; the motion carried without objection.

What the Senate did not decide

The transcript records many bills being ordered engrossed and advanced to third reading, but for several measures the transcript does not include final roll-call tallies or the text of committee amendments on the floor; those details were not specified on the record provided.

Ending

The Senate adjourned to reconvene Tuesday, April 22, with committee work scheduled earlier that day, and members wished colleagues a safe Easter recess.