[{"_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",6259631,"mediaKeyId","3138976-ceec4e4ab55d5ea0f8d83940261740ac","parentId",3138976,"title","Committee hears plan to shore up Medicaid fraud fund; bill parked pending fiscal review","audioSeconds",461,"startMs",2310000,"endMs",2771000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3138976-ceec4e4ab55d5ea0f8d83940261740ac&start=2310&end=2771","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3138976-ceec4e4ab55d5ea0f8d83940261740ac/thumbnail_2310000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6259631/Louisiana/Committee-hears-plan-to-shore-up-Medicaid-fraud-fund-bill-parked-pending-fiscal-review","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6259631-195846f168e690dfa777bb6f278f925c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770432279&Signature=ZGhjLuHQ7lx1zU9RyII3MBQjAC7tnjHpdNbVztv3dwCdRwU-3J91m8q3tTNeI3CxSNQGfwvB-MzrgBw85qSyxY~nocKj2Mv0j9NrJ2ZbMtLWlk3-ERKw~aAS~75u6AYwGqItEipYf3ugxbEa7gg3OGkqfs9T-NCM5uZ1xgXS3CACb2Z2ovX42i4a7kOR~ZPWJtZ6Z3iFC-BL60uTdIHRjzPCMl5chBMtfGpTCRSGnUkr9LLhkNgTUmOjvbFgX-JSGOtiZx81isKURNaA-kmeP4tjMY~v9fUFVL~kVtrPPFz5NN1A74tofUVPf9Ahuuy5YwVSh-AwBjOz9twvIPSvNw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Louisiana Legislature","date","2025-04-28T00:00:00Z","article","Senator Bart McMath introduced Senate Bill 24, which would alter the statutory distribution of the Medicaid fraud fund to increase funding available to the Attorney General's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and to support program integrity at the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH).

\"This bill would move them closer to being able to fully fund that,\" Senator Bart McMath said, describing the change as needed to ensure long‑term funding of the Medicaid fraud control unit. (Sen. Bart McMath)

Matthew Stafford, director of the Attorney General's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, testified that the unit and the fund have produced substantial recoveries but the dedicated fund has not kept pace with needs. Stafford said the unit has deposited approximately $45,000,000 into the fund since 1998 while LDH has deposited about $7,750,000; total restitution and recoveries for the state tied to the unit's work were described as about $688,000,000 from 1998 to present. Stafford said the unit's expenditures from the fund sum to about $19,000,000, and that the unit currently needs roughly $3.4 million to fully draw down federal matching funds and expand operations. (Matthew Stafford, Director, Medicaid Fraud Control Unit)

Stafford and Chief Deputy Larry Freeman explained the bill's aim to increase revenue sources and stabilize the fund; committee members asked whether the fiscal note adequately captured returns on investment. The presenters said the long-term return on investment has been \"tremendous,\" and argued that better capitalization would allow more aggressive pursuit of fraud and higher recoveries.

Senator Clough asked about the $688 million recovery figure; staff said that amount is the total recoveries for the unit since the fund's creation and that only certain additional damages feed the dedicated fund under existing statutory rules. The bill includes a $20 million cap on the dedicated account balance to ensure sufficient annual funds for both the AG unit and LDH program integrity while preserving statutory limits for deposits.

Committee action: the committee noted a physical (fiscal) note on the measure and agreed to park the bill for additional review and potential language cleanup between LDH and the Attorney General's Office. No final vote was recorded in the transcript.

Ending: Sponsors said the change would better position the state to pursue provider fraud and increase recoveries; committee deferred action pending fiscal analysis and continued agency coordination.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Finance Apr 28, 10:30 AM, Room-A","oneSentenceSummary","Senator Bart McMath introduced Senate Bill 24, which would revise the Medicaid fraud fund distribution to better fund the Attorney General's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and LDH program integrity work.","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},6259636,"Panel hears lengthy debate on bill to track benefit recipients' immigration status; public testimony sharply divided",1762,498000,2260000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3138976-ceec4e4ab55d5ea0f8d83940261740ac&start=498&end=2260","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3138976-ceec4e4ab55d5ea0f8d83940261740ac/thumbnail_498000.jpg","/articles/6259636/Louisiana/Panel-hears-lengthy-debate-on-bill-to-track-benefit-recipients-immigration-status-public-testimony-sharply-divided","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6259636-4ffd6792ecd24de3a931c7199bb2b56d/orig.mp4?Expires=1770432279&Signature=m07ejGUwBnGEU9aBLIsjwTVXWkPbNV6gsJFWIQ8qaOsWksLdLlBgR2C2271U8ZXJZ3GOjJa1vp7YlKX~0VFwjq5TvH2m3clE8-vgiZE3FXHWbnh6ry~ZD9uTTL-bPWwH4ZqUcQqkte4qCfToYHwMXLRdBENbWpFnQjc-JKn7~Pc7nzINXiD4UWdVCqFrrsBfpKlqiCWWICb4smpDElBIzBR1dvfott5uNer0NXYaU0ZwKcrOCT1yHYkRN06xVxN1O0Tn312wJ1qdywMYGJqQRa34qyta4BhoDPHURwuyUg8beo0gW8YilSlaOeZ83iTO9AtRWbD7OEx2IQAUiEwOkQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senator Bart Miguez introduced Senate Bill 100, the \"State Services and Benefits Legal Status and Accountability Act,\" saying the measure would require state agencies to verify and report the immigration or legal status of individuals who receive state services and to calculate associated costs.

\"It's a critical step towards ensuring transparency, accountability, and requiring state agencies to verify the legal status of individuals receiving benefits and to report the associated costs,\" Senator Bart Miguez said, framing the bill as a way to \"safeguard public resources while complying with federal immigration laws.\" (Sen. Bart Miguez)

Larry Freeman, chief deputy attorney general, told the committee the bill was requested by the attorney general and described it as a transparency measure: \"The citizens of Louisiana should be fully informed of where their money is going, and especially if it's going towards benefits and services to illegal aliens.\" (Larry Freeman, Chief Deputy Attorney General)

The bill would direct a number of state agencies to collect counts and dollar amounts of services by legal status and to produce an annual compilation. Freeman and the sponsor said the report would be available to the public and provided to the legislature. The sponsor said the bill codifies Governor Jeff Landry's Executive Order JML 24-05.

On definitions, the sponsor and witnesses referenced federal law. Freeman and Tracy Short pointed committee members to federal definitions in 8 U.S.C. § 1101 and the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA) when describing which noncitizen categories are eligible for federally funded benefits. Senator Boudreaux and others pressed for clarity on definitions and implementation steps.

Senator Miguez and Freeman described implementation plans in broad terms: agencies listed in the bill (including the Louisiana Department of Health, the Office of Motor Vehicles, the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, the Department of Child and Family Services, the Department of Revenue and public higher education institutions) would collect and report totals by legal status and by service category. Freeman said the attorney general's office would marshal the data into a database and report annually; he said the sponsor's intent was for the data to be posted and made available to the public and to the legislature \"one week before the regular session.\" (Larry Freeman)

Committee members sought operational detail. Senator Boudreaux asked for the \"game plan\" and timeline for rolling out the data collection; Senator Miguez said a database would be built and the attorney general's office would compile and publish the results, while acknowledging the process \"is a work in progress.\" (Sen. Bart Miguez; Larry Freeman)

Public testimony was sharply divided. Chris Alexander of the Louisiana Citizen Advocacy Group said the organization supported the bill, saying \"there is a strong belief that there's a lot of waste in our state government\" and praising efforts to increase accountability. (Chris Alexander, Louisiana Citizen Advocacy Group)

Opponents included social workers, faith and civil‑rights groups and immigrant residents. Willa Myers, a social worker, warned of ethical conflicts and chilling effects on service access: \"This law's impact would only distinguish between citizen and non‑citizen, and that is a distinction which I, as a social worker, oppose in the implementation of social services.\" (Willa Myers, social worker)

Dauda Sisi, who identified as a refugee resettled in Louisiana, urged the committee not to single out immigrants: \"A bill like this ... tried to put us in isolation, saying that everything that is wrong, it is refugees and the immigrant community. And that's not the case.\" (Dauda Sisi, resident)

Committee action: the committee chair announced the bill had a physical (fiscal) note and said the bill would be \"parked\" for now; the transcript records the chair's instruction that because of the physical note the bill would be taken up later. The sponsor requested favorable passage but the committee did not move to report the bill that day.

Ending: The committee did not advance Senate Bill 100; the sponsor and supporters said the measure would provide data for budget and policy decisions, while social-service and immigrant‑rights witnesses warned of harms to community trust and service delivery. The bill was parked in committee pending resolution of the fiscal note and further agency discussions.","Senator Bart Miguez introduced Senate Bill 100, the \"State Services and Benefits Legal Status and Accountability Act,\" saying the measure would require state agencies to verify and report the immigration or legal status of individuals who receive state services and to calculate associated costs.",{"_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},6259642,"Senate committee restores named events list, creates separate fund for smaller events",332,104000,436000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3138976-ceec4e4ab55d5ea0f8d83940261740ac&start=104&end=436","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3138976-ceec4e4ab55d5ea0f8d83940261740ac/thumbnail_104000.jpg","/articles/6259642/Louisiana/Senate-committee-restores-named-events-list-creates-separate-fund-for-smaller-events","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6259642-88d48917f40560689af81929cc2c5c6b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770432279&Signature=kV0kfNFVAhswhZnVTBYqHeoBLyd9lXjwQcI5HP9h1fYB73utgXYHJajLeofxL80f59BmYC4KDCfQBJAv11Tl9PAYSfFfNJznKJD1P7yHixeScqB~sPrreuQDvIwPP4Ag46x7DJPYGkedWKoZxJEQAReICRIZncSqTwSiJxwqGIV-VdhmlKoELlts5p8Jlr8LhjZ8PzEjKAb9pn~695fwjmDtqlVoC99YLyW~7WTGHsrj1MiJPgoXizSUabIT27vZjxExpHc7nbjb6RdIqkxqzWMZUEagSUhLuyyehADuJoWr0s5YRRb65Gwvet4zZEVbh4vH7zojtIsRcRs95tV5Sg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senator Jay Harris presented Senate Bill 201 on the Meiji events incentive fund program and the committee adopted an amendment before reporting the bill favorable.

The bill, as amended, keeps the statute's existing itemized list of major events and adds a separate, smaller events fund so events not on the named list can apply for incentives. \"We're going back to the original bill as it the law currently states,\" Senator Jay Harris said, and the amendment \"creates a separate events fund so that smaller events could also have an opportunity to apply for funding.\" Harris added that an event \"won't exceed the amount of economic impact or the amount of money that we put to the event. So we're not giving an event more money than what the state would, would receive back.\" (Sen. Jay Harris)

Chad, a staff member who spoke in committee, clarified the spending limitation included in the amendment: \"The contract can be no larger than either the amount of the economic impact or, for example, if it is to bid on an event, the amount to bid on that event that's in the future.\" (Chad, staff member)

Senator Boudreau moved to adopt the amendment; the motion passed with no objections. Boudreau later moved to report the bill favorable with the adopted amendment; the committee reported Senate Bill 201 favorable.

The fiscal note discussion acknowledged that an earlier version of the bill — which would have removed the named-event list — drew a $25 million impact estimate at LED's request, but because the committee kept the existing list and only added a separate events fund, the sponsor said the fiscal note \"is pretty much the way that it should have been last year.\" (Sen. Jay Harris)

The committee did not hold a roll-call vote in the transcript excerpt; the clerk reported the bill as \"will be reported favorable.\" The sponsor and staff indicated the amendment was made at the request of LED and intended to preserve appropriations discipline by tying payout limits to expected economic impact.

The bill will proceed to the next step in the legislative process as reported favorable by the Senate Finance Committee.

Ending details: The committee made no changes to the named-event list and added the separate events fund to create a path for smaller, non‑listed events to apply. The fiscal note will be revisited consistent with the amended statutory approach.","The Senate Finance Committee voted to adopt an amendment and report Senate Bill 201 favorably that keeps the existing named Major Events list in law and creates a separate events fund intended to let smaller events compete for incentives without exceeding projected economic impact.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee hears plan to shore up Medicaid fraud fund; bill parked pending fiscal review

Panel hears lengthy debate on bill to track benefit recipients' immigration status; public testimony sharply divided

Senate committee restores named events list, creates separate fund for smaller events