Louisiana Senate passes a package of bills on education, health care and procurement; several measures amended or carried over

The Louisiana State Senate met May 7 in Baton Rouge and cleared a long agenda that included final passage for a range of bills addressing school safety, health care, elections and procurement policy.

Senators unanimously approved Senate Bill 83, sponsored by Senator Edmonds, which requires city, parish and other local public school boards to adopt policies and provide annual training for school staff on prevention, identification, reporting and assistance for human-trafficking victims. "Each city, parish and other local public school boards and each public school charter is to adopt a policy for human trafficking, victim prevention, identification, reporting and assistance," Edmonds said, describing the bill’s aims and an anticipated training timeline. The clerk recorded the vote in favor; the machine tally was announced as 33 ayes and 0 nays.

The chamber also passed Senate Bill 143, which creates a fund and mechanisms related to issuance of bulletproof vests for peace officers, and Senate Bill 155, which provides dental-care coverage for certain cancer-related dental needs, both reported as passed unanimously.

Lawmakers debated and adopted Senate Bill 157, a measure from Senator Jenkins to create paid parental leave for eligible K–12 employees — covering birth, adoption and foster situations — and to establish a parental leave educators fund subject to legislative appropriation. Jenkins described the bill as replacing existing maternity leave rules with a new parental-leave framework that would apply to all K–12 employees. After adopting technical amendments, the Senate passed the bill on final passage.

Senate Bill 465, a prompt-pay reform aimed at accelerating adjudication of certain health-care claims, drew floor amendments to clarify exclusions (for example, dental benefits) and to refine benefit-plan language. Senator McMath moved the committee-sent amendments and said the changes were largely technical. The Senate adopted the amendments and passed the measure.

On child-welfare policy, Senator Barrow summarized Senate Bill 237, which revises duties for the state child-ombudsman, requires improved communication between the Department of Children and Family Services and the ombudsman’s office, allows law-enforcement liaisons and establishes a multidisciplinary review team led by the attorney general for particular cases; the bill passed and remains subject to appropriations.

Senate consideration of Senate Bill 513, a bill to authorize a pilot allowing certain local governments to use an "average bid" method for public works procurement, included a substantive amendment that the sponsor said materially changed the bill. Sponsor Senator Fazie put that amendment on the bill and indicated the measure would be carried over to the next week to allow members time to review the changes.

The floor also processed a large set of House bills that were reported and taken up for final passage on the Senate floor (various subject areas including designations of memorial highways, insurance, elections and workforce development), and the Senate received multiple messages and referrals from the House. Vote tallies for passed measures were recorded on the machines and announced on the floor (many unanimous votes recorded as 34–0 or 35–0 depending on the item).

Senators closed the day's work with committee announcements and schedules; the body adjourned to reconvene Monday, May 11 at 2 p.m.

Votes at a glance: SB 83 (Edmonds) — passed (33–0 announced); SB 143 (Edmonds) — passed (33–0 announced); SB 155 (Talbot) — passed (34–0 announced); SB 157 (Jenkins) — passed (32–0 announced); SB 202 (Kleinpeter) — passed (34–0 announced); SB 237 (Barrow) — passed (32–0 announced); SB 465 (McMath) — passed (35–0 announced).