June 15, 2021

Dear Friends,

Now that we’ve reached the end of the 2021 Legislative Session, we wanted to provide you with an inside look at what really happened this session, and to give you an updated picture of where we stand post-session.

We remain hopeful that Governor Edwards will allow SB 156, the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act, to be enacted without a signature; you can still call his office at (225) 342-7015 and respectfully ask him to let it stand so that women and girls can remain protected in our state.

Many of LFF’s policy priorities remain pending as Governor Edwards considers the measures during his veto window. We will keep you up-to-date as those bills are signed, vetoed, or allowed to become law without signature.

Here’s what LFF’s Bills to Watch List stands at the end of session:

✅ = LFF Policy Win

🟡 = Outcome Pending

🚫 = Outcome Not Preferred by LFF

🚫 HB 20 by Rep. Miguez (SUPPORT): Prohibits the use of private funds to pay election-related expenses. Vetoed by the Governor

🟡 HB 54 by Rep. Edmonds (SUPPORT): Ensures integrity in the process of adopting a child. STATUS: Pending Governor Signature

🟡 HB 103 by Rep. McCormick (SUPPORT): Prohibits civil liability for refusal to mandate a COVID-19 vaccination and protects business permits and professional licenses from refusal for failure to refuse to mandate a COVID-19 vaccination. STATUS: Pending Governor Signature

🟡 HB 218 by Rep. Huval (SUPPORT): Authorizes "baby boxes" under the Safe Haven Law to surrender a baby for adoption in a safe location. STATUS: Pending Governor Signature

🟡 HB 280 by Rep. Edmonds (SUPPORT): School Choice - revises eligibility criteria for school participation in the Student Scholarships for Educational Excellence Program and removes the program enrollment cap. STATUS: Pending Governor Signature

🟡 HB 349 by Rep. Edmonston (SUPPORT): Prohibits the office of motor vehicles from including vaccination verification or immunity status on a driver's license or state identification card and from using such records for the issuance, renewal, or revocation of a driver's license or state identification card. See also HB 103, HB 498, and SB 198. STATUS: Pending Governor Signature

🚫HB 352 by Rep. Hodges (SUPPORT): Requires further instruction on the nation's founding principles in required American history and civics courses in public schools. STATUS: Failed in Conference Committee.

🟡 HB 357 by Rep. Crews (SUPPORT): Increases the amount of information regarding minors required for abortion reporting. STATUS: Pending Governor Signature

🚫HB 416 by Rep. Hodges (SUPPORT): Requires instruction regarding World War II and the Holocaust for middle and high school students and training for teachers relative to such instruction. STATUS: Failed in Senate.

🟡 HB 423 by Rep. Emerson (SUPPORT): Expanded information required in abortion reporting for statistical purposes. STATUS: Pending Governor Signature

🟡 HB 498 by Rep. Edmonston (SUPPORT): Prohibits government personnel and agencies from discriminating against persons based on vaccination or immunity status. STATUS: Pending Governor Signature

🟡 HB 531 by Rep. Pressly (SUPPORT): Beefing up duties and responsibilities of the Massage Therapy Board to more adequately address illicit massage parlors and human trafficking. STATUS: Pending Governor Signature

🚫HB 564 by Rep. Garofalo (SUPPORT): Prohibits training provided to students or employees in grades K-12 which teaches, advocates, acts upon, or promotes divisive concepts relative to race and sex in any schools receiving state funding. STATUS: Failed in House Education

🟡HB 578 by Rep. Amedee (SUPPORT): Requires abortionists to disclose to patient that abortion drug may be reversible. STATUS: Pending Governor Signature

🟡HB 704 by Rep. Hodges (SUPPORT): Deals with poll watchers and commissioners. STATUS: Pending Governor Signature

✅ HCR 5 by Rep. McCormick (SUPPORT): Religious freedom during declared emergencies such as COVID 19. STATUS: Passed House and Senate; Governor Signature Not Required.

🚫SB 118 by Sen. Morris (SUPPORT): Wherever a person can open carry a firearm they can conceal carry a firearm without a permit over the age of 21. STATUS: Veto Guaranteed by Governor Edwards.

🟡SB 156 by Sen. Mizell (SUPPORT): Prohibits a team designated for females, girls, or women from being open to students who are not biologically female. STATUS: Pending Governor Signature.

🟡SB 170 by Sen. Johns (SUPPORT): Centralizes state's human trafficking efforts in the office of the Governor. STATUS: Pending Governor Signature.

🟡Election Reform Bills (SUPPORT): SB 221, HB 167, HB 138, SB 219, SB 224, SBB63, HB 388, SB 64, HB 141, HB 20, SB 220. STATUS: Pending Governor Signature.

✅ HB 67 by Rep. Landry (OPPOSE): Decriminalization of prostitution and commercial sex. STATUS: Failed in House Committee

🟡HB 137 by Rep. Duplessis (OPPOSE): Reduces the number of employees required as part of contract with land-based casino. Tax break for Harrah's. STATUS: Pending Governor Signature.

✅ HB 282 by Rep. Freeman (OPPOSE): Prohibits housing discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. STATUS: Failed in House Committee.

✅ HB 353 by Rep. Landry (OPPOSE): Expands background checks to private transfers of firearms. STATUS: Failed in House Committee.

🟡HB 391 by Rep. Magee (OPPOSE): Medical marijuana in raw form - smoking medical marijuana. STATUS: Pending Governor Signature.

🚫HB 697 by Rep. Stefanski (OPPOSE): Regulation and taxation of sports betting through the Lottery. STATUS: Signed by Governor Edwards.

✅HB 699 by Rep. Nelson (OPPOSE): Decriminalization of recreational marijuana. STATUS: Failed in House.

🟡HB 702 by Rep. Dubuisson (OPPOSE): Referendum in St. Tammany Parish on land-based casino in Slidell. STATUS: Pending Governor Signature.

✅ HB 709 by Rep. Newell (OPPOSE): Provides for the regulation of the cultivation, manufacturing, and retail sale of cannabis and cannabis products. STATUS: Failed in House.

✅ HR 136 by Rep. James (OPPOSE): A study on advantages of decriminalized prostitution. STATUS: Failed in House.

🟡SB 10 by Sen. Fields (OPPOSE): Lowers compulsory education from 7 to 5 years of age. As amended, parents can select pre-K for their children at age 5. STATUS: Pending Governor Signature.

🟡SB 209 by Sen. Smith (OPPOSE): "Historic horse racing" machines at off track betting sites: machines similar to slot machines. STATUS: Pending Governor Signature.

🟡SB 247 by Sen. Cortez (OPPOSE): Regulation of sports betting previously approved on a parish-by-parish basis by the voters. Will allow sports betting on mobile devices, in bars and restaurants around the state as well as in other gambling venues. STATUS: Pending Governor Signature.

LFF’s team is watching closely as Governor Edwards weighs the bills before him. If you have opinions on any of the above pending legislation, we encourage you to contact the governor’s office.

We also want to remind you to call your legislators and THANK THEM for serving you and your interests this year. Regardless of where you might differ from them politically, building a respectful relationship with your legislators is always beneficial. Many of them were instrumental in pushing LFF’s priority bills and opposing those that pose threats to Louisiana families.

We’ll keep you updated on the status of pending bills, and continue to maneuver behind the scenes to get these bills across the finish line and into law. If you want to help, please click here to support our efforts.

In His Service,

Gene Mills
President, Louisiana Family Forum

P.S. If you support LFF’s efforts to win battles on behalf of life, liberty, and limited government, please click here to make a contribution today!