[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-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",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_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",6262710,"mediaKeyId","3111876-ea3b86fe5d398afbca3a4b6602755c69","parentId",3111876,"title","Votes at a glance: Committee advances multiple local measures to House floor","audioSeconds",2713,"startMs",663000,"endMs",3376000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3111876-ea3b86fe5d398afbca3a4b6602755c69&start=663&end=3376","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3111876-ea3b86fe5d398afbca3a4b6602755c69/thumbnail_663000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6262710/Louisiana/Votes-at-a-glance-Committee-advances-multiple-local-measures-to-House-floor","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6262710-e4b12cefd18c712b58cf19a9e10e5c7b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770433447&Signature=HH5AsvO~OzLhRhz7NHNmMuwQ9TM4TLGWAwvzQFT6BWqANgTO83yCThGvaFsRCP~Q-3NcVhVmESsAdjSrwygymusX9hh0-DqtRoGG4CbG3~VPPWhZVdIABaVKAqvHT7Q5gJHdqTfwZzMjveTmJ-e6Jl670IowdaZhhRjv-TJdDYQv--YXoS20wtJ5osp8uS2UYg~mLaTvScgYmUBS3CEGAuDMEkmD3bGFGY6Hb1PSF30S9u0ZSLMFk7B6nCLSDwIfm4B1opX6OqayZrCHJpsdQ5R9DZf2JBU3XuL8Zp9~fT5fpkRV8sxZSmbnAOK4hnDcOyDT~jimk6ikwjMKftCkHw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Louisiana Legislature","date","2025-04-24T00:00:00Z","article","The House Committee on Municipal, Provincial and Cultural Affairs advanced a set of local bills to the House floor on Oct. 8, 2025. Most measures were approved by voice vote or unanimous consent after brief presentations and questions. The committee also adopted targeted amendments on several bills.

Key committee actions (by bill):

- House Bill 241: Directed the Department of Insurance to publish on its website municipal-contracted ground-ambulance reimbursement rates to expedite claims and timely payment. Committee recorded no roll call; sponsor said the change applies to all municipal ambulance providers and followed discussions with the Louisiana Association of Health Plans and ambulance providers. Motion to report favorably carried.

- House Bill 48 (City of Slidell): Authorized the city council to place a hotel occupancy tax question on the ballot. Committee adopted an amendment capping the maximum tax at 2% (down from draft text that used a 5% example) and limited permitted uses to tourism-related initiatives; motion to report favorably carried.

- House Bill 50 (Lake Vista Crime Prevention District, Orleans Parish): Authorized modifications to the district's enabling act including raising the parcel fee ceiling from $200 to $400 and extending renewal periods from four to eight years; motion to report favorably carried.

- House Bill 191 (Lakewood Crime Prevention and Improvement District, Orleans Parish): Sponsor explained the district seeks to raise the fee ceiling from $450 to $600 per parcel and extend approval periods from four to eight years; motion to report favorably carried.

- House Bill 40 (Acadia Parish): Local bill requested by the police jury to rename the office of parish secretary-treasurer to parish administrator and to stagger the parish administrator's term; motion to report favorably carried.

- House Bill 53 (Upper Audubon Security District, New Orleans Parish): Authorized an increase in the parcel fee for additional security patrols; motion to report favorably carried.

- House Bill 55 (Crossgate Subdivision Crime Prevention and Neighborhood Improvement District, East Baton Rouge Parish): Created a new crime-prevention district with typical parameters (up to $400 parcel fee, five-member board); motion to report favorably carried.

For each bill above, the committee chair announced no objections and advanced the measure to the House floor. Where staff or sponsors proposed technical amendments (for example, HB 48 and HB 50), those amendments were adopted by voice vote prior to advancement.

Action note: This roundup excludes several items that received extended debate (HB 33, HB 39, HB 57, HB 32), which are reported separately.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Municipal Apr 24, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The House Municipal, Provincial and Cultural Affairs Committee reported several local bills favorably to the House floor on Oct. 8, 2025. The measures range from crime-prevention district authorizations and hotel-occupancy authority to parish office renaming and security-district fee increases.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature LA, Louisiana","taxId",78558,"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},6262715,"Committee adopts amendment, advances bill to raise max penalties for certain St. Bernard Parish code violations",2688,3189000,5877000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3111876-ea3b86fe5d398afbca3a4b6602755c69&start=3189&end=5877","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3111876-ea3b86fe5d398afbca3a4b6602755c69/thumbnail_3189000.jpg","/articles/6262715/Louisiana/Committee-adopts-amendment-advances-bill-to-raise-max-penalties-for-certain-St-Bernard-Parish-code-violations","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6262715-812e5a82b745737f15b98e09efe4cc95/orig.mp4?Expires=1770433447&Signature=HkclAkka9RpcRdjYQcZbKQMvWS41iMqdanjFkHcW6ZWlpU8mEqe-e6g5dNTnB3qmqV1UTSti-~mRuTQArcjJuEtPc8TT39ZAkdSvqi03rEI~BAB~~BQYehSFCP~2ZxN3vdmnXqkHChwOWGU6QXzc~zycnM5IKtS9K3WXlj4TuiiIeyv-QcLssJWWJjOJIb04CM5w7X48D-iuLysbhdc57GWC7UZC1LleFKdidrhH~5tgleCFR01bxsJmfNfHMDbsg4YEQ6MBKNe8oI4oX5dk5-C-JS4kxMDkRnpF9RS-OOE3UKNHnBnq5il0gSHANaHNsSApPVUdndu9KqBHcJj4-A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","House Bill 32, which would raise the maximum penalty for violations of parish ordinances in St. Bernard Parish, was amended and moved favorably by the House Committee on Municipal, Provincial and Cultural Affairs.

Sponsor Representative Bayham said the measure responds to persistent blight, Katrina-damaged structures that slowly deteriorate, and unpermitted short-term rentals whose out-of-state owners \"factor the $500 fine into the cost of continuing\" operations. St. Bernard code compliance manager Clay Dillon told the committee unpaid fines are entered as liens and then added to the property's ad valorem tax if unresolved.

The committee adopted a technical amendment reducing potential jail time in the bill from six months to three months. Representative Freiberg raised enforcement questions from his experience in East Baton Rouge Parish: some property owners lack funds to comply, and fines can be difficult to collect. Dillon said St. Bernard's process converts unpaid fines to liens and lists them on ad valorem taxes, and that approach improved collections.

Representative Newell raised concerns about the bill's original language, which referenced \"any parish ordinance,\" and sought assurance the change would be limited to property-related code violations rather than applying to all ordinances. The sponsor agreed to work with Newell and committee staff to limit the bill to property-related violations and to obtain a resolution from the St. Bernard governing body if possible before the bill reaches the floor.

Action summary: committee adopted an amendment changing the proposed jail term from six months to three months, adopted the amended language on the floor, and moved the bill favorably with the sponsor's pledge to tighten the bill's scope to property violations and to seek a local resolution.

Next steps: Committee staff and the sponsor will prepare a narrow amendment limiting the bill to property violations and may seek a resolution from the St. Bernard Parish Council prior to floor consideration.","House Bill 32 would increase the maximum monetary penalty for violations of parish ordinances in St. Bernard Parish from $500 to $1,500 and reduce maximum jail exposure from six months to three months; sponsor said intent is to deter long-standing blight and unpermitted short-term rentals.",{"_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},6262720,"Jefferson Davis Parish school board seeks half-cent sales tax for employee stipends; committee advances bill",306,2490000,2796000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3111876-ea3b86fe5d398afbca3a4b6602755c69&start=2490&end=2796","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3111876-ea3b86fe5d398afbca3a4b6602755c69/thumbnail_2490000.jpg","/articles/6262720/Louisiana/Jefferson-Davis-Parish-school-board-seeks-half-cent-sales-tax-for-employee-stipends-committee-advances-bill","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6262720-019311a981a6a4a2d6b0ee33510ac007/orig.mp4?Expires=1770433447&Signature=CE-j2Hm0N-BZiGrHtMy1vgxn8W5dJP5vVvRASblOEshjd2fuQl2WluqbWH6T4LIM0WGyTTcqzQ24pgWgj~Vkro4LtNUj0A9UkiTnyxhLOY9H7bQHx4yOYSmpzN7uwv3al3p2s9PTCpCfFynuTvu7BS76KkvVBmvFdNEDNE4YT60aJxuWDMx67gpa~eTM5fzdwDgJdhLq-FgLMzqT-q7TOcz2Q5Q6QeQNmuR6De-6Yx56FmuFURUtAkjcx0kHLuq8K-NvCmQCC2EVig1l2eY9lWq0xDw2qVfgG3~xMM8KfqwFlB-7aII~KG5lRJbP7TjtvGT-5oL7tY6qDenYhLBcKw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Committee on Municipal, Provincial and Cultural Affairs moved House Bill 57 favorably after Jefferson Davis Parish Superintendent John Hall described a local plan to fund employee stipends via a ballot-authorized half-cent sales tax.

Representative Romero, sponsor of HB 57, said the parish school board seeks voter approval for a half-cent sales-and-use tax dedicated to stipends for school employees. Superintendent John Hall testified the board's goal is to make the district more competitive for teacher recruitment and retention; preliminary estimates cited in testimony projected stipends in the range of $3,000 to $4,000 per employee depending on revenue.

Hall told the committee the parish intends to begin collections as soon as possible; if voters approve the tax, the board could collect starting in January and issue a partial stipend the same school year with full payments in the following school year. \"We want to collect as soon as possible and we want to give that money to our employees this coming school year,\" Hall said. He said the board had not yet finalized whether stipends would be identical across certified and support staff or tiered by position.

Representatives asked whether the ballot language would restrict the use of funds to school employees; Hall said the authorization would be written so proceeds are dedicated to employees and could not be used to fill other budget gaps. Several members, including Representative Jackson and Representative Stagney, praised the local initiative and moved the bill favorably; there were no objections in committee.

Action summary: motion to report HB 57 favorably carried; the bill authorizes the Jefferson Davis Parish School Board to seek voter approval for a one-half cent sales tax dedicated to stipends for school employees. If approved by voters, the tax would be levied parishwide and proceeds restricted to employee stipends as described by the sponsor.

Next steps: The bill moves to the House floor; if enacted and approved by local voters it would create a recurring, dedicated local revenue stream for employee stipends.","House Bill 57 would let the Jefferson Davis Parish School Board place a half-cent sales tax on the ballot to fund stipends for school employees; superintendent said the measure would provide a recurring stipend (estimated $3,000'$4,000) to help recruit and retain staff.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6262725,"Committee debate forces changes, then short delay for Houma Terrebonne Housing Authority bill",2026,996000,3022000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3111876-ea3b86fe5d398afbca3a4b6602755c69&start=996&end=3022","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3111876-ea3b86fe5d398afbca3a4b6602755c69/thumbnail_996000.jpg","/articles/6262725/Louisiana/Committee-debate-forces-changes-then-short-delay-for-Houma-Terrebonne-Housing-Authority-bill","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6262725-dfbd0f6703f7fd1d60e9edf5338ebfe5/orig.mp4?Expires=1770433447&Signature=md~vfPCb1xRx3iWvqa~qIdj5Klei6512UVdjXl7Oz82YQPkNWqLzjznxa1xPLql-FDTXdMkd9vl3hdK8TqbWIV83jYHCQOzSOpOEVHWZt-zLPnVdR-rMg0dWHWw2xl~Z54ODPEHNF6eBM9We9dz69eTqEGxRXHOClxunqByOj58VpjpKyUguAwPre9ydZswm4s243L2TXC4opJlH~98luWjl0tGWPchUxhezVuRbFBh8WxaRXzECmhV0A3Q8RI2PHcdDFoqECEOJTWmXFAiEixSr0uT7sa4TM8yvPR-TiSukEowGV0HhITrVXTLhEMCSjLtV9CMHwDYA6A-cob7OBA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","House Bill 39, a local measure concerning the Houma-Terrebonne Housing Authority, drew extended debate in the House Municipal, Provincial and Cultural Affairs Committee over appointment authority, removal \"without cause,\" council oversight and due process.

Representative Amity introduced the bill, saying the parish president currently appoints all five members of the housing authority board and is seeking the ability to remove members without cause. Representative Domingue offered a multi-part set of amendments that the committee adopted: the parish president would appoint four commissioners subject to the governing body's approval, the governing body would appoint one commissioner, and at least one of the parish-president appointees would be a tenant from a housing development operated by the authority; removals would be subject to approval by the governing body.

Representative Domingue said the amendments were intended \"to strengthen this board and also provide good government,\" adding that ratification by the council would provide transparency and protect board members. Representative Amity confirmed the parish president supported the amendments.

Several members raised constitutional and governance concerns. Representative Marcel repeatedly objected to language that would allow removal without cause. Representative Billings described a post-Hurricane Ida situation in which large numbers of residents remain displaced and said the parish president's frustration motivated the request for faster options to replace board members. Representative Knox and others urged caution and due process, and Representative Freiberg asked staff whether the committee-adopted amendments were germane to the advertisement for the local bill; staff said they were.

The committee then considered rival procedural moves. A motion to involuntarily defer the bill was put to a roll-call vote and failed (roll-call recorded in transcript: two yes, 15 no; transcript contains inconsistent tally language; committee continued debate). Committee members then agreed to work on additional language to remove the \"without cause\" phrase and to require council ratification of removals; Representative Knox moved to defer the bill for one week while staff prepared a revised amendment. The chair announced the bill would be deferred until the next week's meeting.

Action summary: Domingue's amendment package was adopted; a motion to involuntarily defer failed on roll call; the committee later agreed to defer the bill for one week to allow drafting of replacement language removing \"without cause\" and clarifying ratification and due-process procedures.

Sponsors said the parish president sought the authority after the housing authority failed to meet deadlines tied to federal aid following Hurricane Ida, leaving hundreds of households displaced; opponents said removal without cause risked politicizing board membership and preferred removal-for-cause processes. The sponsors and several committee members pledged to produce revised language limiting removals and clarifying procedural safeguards before the bill returns.","Lawmakers amended a local bill to add council ratification and a council-appointed seat on the Houma-Terrebonne Housing Authority; debate over removal \"without cause\" and due process prompted the committee to defer the measure until next week while sponsors and staff draft additional language.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6262730,"House committee clears local bill to exempt Alexandria cybersecurity post from civil service rules",521,130000,651000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3111876-ea3b86fe5d398afbca3a4b6602755c69&start=130&end=651","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3111876-ea3b86fe5d398afbca3a4b6602755c69/thumbnail_130000.jpg","/articles/6262730/Louisiana/House-committee-clears-local-bill-to-exempt-Alexandria-cybersecurity-post-from-civil-service-rules","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6262730-6d1fd6c2e588340216eec3d58b2365d9/orig.mp4?Expires=1770433447&Signature=kKtmV3JkVlmNweyrIsQnjbbt85N8paTsTZP3PwLI8xOSemNmPMyL73UWvSOjaRxQKSpMYfLwR52hMkik5-~7uvkc2faFTcToBW5eQ4p9jxLpk0TBmKGfFqsHyuUzEAfPd~g4XKB4yJYq1kT5BpJmUzpr-GHSr2yqqC9p7bahZTt1lh8zCGcb6hIvVwrQ9BRxi7seT8RF1FHBgWG7AFHQWSQldUVyn~7HaS9L45WT22x9P8ywaupVdJklPVc3iNFsjzjFHkDQ1n-8EbUCpcpjBdeevRbTh6U9Uanr2nfY2~Ujyic1GtSFq2G49-q64TXz9kOzvtFignUNYBAOwiKZvA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","House Bill 33, a local measure affecting the city of Alexandria, was moved favorably by the House Committee on Municipal, Provincial and Cultural Affairs after lawmakers heard from the bill's sponsor and Alexandria officials.

The bill would add an exemption to Alexandria's classified civil service for a position that provides city computer operations, including direct services to the municipal information system, electronic security systems and other information-technology functions designed to prevent disruption and compromise of sensitive information.

Sponsor Speaker Pro Tem Mike Johnson said the change applies only to Alexandria and is intended to allow the city to appoint and pay a qualified IT/cybersecurity operator outside of the classified-civil-service hiring process. \"We are simply asking that you, by statute, allow us to exempt that position from the list of classified employees,\" Johnson said. He described the need as driven by hiring difficulty and pay competition with larger cities.

Jacques Roy, mayor of Alexandria, told the committee the city has experienced ransomware-style breaches in the past that halted utility billing and other operations. \"What we discovered is you need to be nimble in this set of positions,\" Roy said, urging that civil-service rules can slow an immediate response to serious cybersecurity incidents.

Several committee members pressed for procedural clarifications. Representative Marshall asked whether the bill had been properly advertised; sponsor Johnson and the mayor confirmed it had. Representative Stagney asked whether a resolution from the governing authority was on file; the mayor said there was not a resolution but described executive-session briefings the council had held on findings after an earlier breach. Representative Knox described the bill as a \"reasonable request\" based on experiences in New Orleans and said he would encourage colleagues to support it.

Representative Marcel made the motion to report the bill favorably. The chair asked for objections; none were raised and the committee moved the bill to the floor.

The bill does not change the classification or pay rules for other Alexandria employees and, according to testimony, would leave most municipal positions within the classified civil service while creating a narrowly defined unclassified appointment for the cybersecurity/IT function.

Committee action: moved favorably to the House floor. The committee record shows no roll-call tally for this motion; the chair announced no objections and advanced the bill.

Looking ahead: If the House approves the measure it will next be considered by the full House; the bill as presented applies only to the city of Alexandria and does not amend statewide civil-service law.","The House Municipal, Provincial and Cultural Affairs Committee voted to move House Bill 33 favorably after Alexandria leaders said an unclassified appointment is needed to recruit and pay for a cybersecurity/IT position that can respond quickly to breaches.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: Committee advances multiple local measures to House floor

Committee adopts amendment, advances bill to raise max penalties for certain St. Bernard Parish code violations

Jefferson Davis Parish school board seeks half-cent sales tax for employee stipends; committee advances bill

Committee debate forces changes, then short delay for Houma Terrebonne Housing Authority bill

House committee clears local bill to exempt Alexandria cybersecurity post from civil service rules