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Committee backs bill to refocus state ADA coordination, rename return‑to‑work program
Summary
House Bill 130 would define covered agencies, give the state ADA coordinator rulemaking authority and move responsibility for a transitional return‑to‑work program to the Office of Risk Management; the committee voted to report the bill favorably after members and the state ADA coordinator explained the changes.
The House Committee on House and Governmental Affairs voted April 29 to report House Bill 130 favorably. The bill, carried by Representative Billings, proposes to revise state law governing the Office of the State Americans with Disabilities Act coordinator and to rename and restructure the state’s return-to-work program for employees with job-related injuries.
Under the bill as explained in committee, the statutory definition of “agency” would be clarified to mean an executive-branch organizational unit with 15 or more employees, mirroring language in federal ADA law. Committee witnesses said that change is meant to reduce reporting burdens on very small state offices that do not regularly require ADA resources.
Representative Billings told the committee the measure codifies duties the state ADA coordinator already performs, clarifies which offices the coordinator covers and would add rulemaking authority to the office. Ricky David, listed in committee testimony as the state ADA coordinator with the Louisiana Division of Administration, told members the change would let the coordinator “ensure consistency across state agencies” in ADA administration. The bill also renames the “return to employment program” as the “return to work program,” and assigns the Office of Risk Management—as opposed to the Department of Civil Service—a lead role in designing transitional work placement and related procedures.
Members asked about coverage for legislative branch offices and about how the program would work in practice. Ms. David said the proposed statute applies to executive branch agencies; the federal ADA continues to apply to the legislative branch and the committee was told the legislature must identify its own ADA coordinator. The sponsor and the state ADA coordinator said the bill would repeal the requirement for physician activity‑analysis forms and require the Office of Risk Management and the state ADA coordinator to jointly develop procedures and forms.
Representative Marcel moved to report the bill favorably; no objection was recorded and the measure was reported favorable.
The bill as presented to the committee does not include an appropriation and does not specify implementation dates. It passed the committee by voice action and will proceed in the House process.
