HOUSE NOTES

Louisiana House of Representatives Communications Office 2013 Regular Session Week Two, April 19, 2013

The House Ways and Means Committee deferred action Monday on all tax reform bills, including measures to repeal corporate and corporate franchise taxes, and individual income taxes. Tuesday, at 6:00 p.m., was the deadline for members to introduce five additional bills, none of which can be "general." To date, 719 House bills and 258 Senate bills have been filed for this session. HOSPITAL STABILIZATION FUND * House Bill 532, reported with amendments, would create the Hospital Stabilization Fund that would allow hospitals to deposit money in a state-operated fund then submitted to the federal government to capture additional matching Medicaid dollars. The funding measure would establish a hospital Medicaid reimbursement formula; implement an annual hospital provider assessment through the formula; require revenues generated from the assessment to be deposited to the Hospital Stabilization Fund in the Treasury; and would establish reimbursement rate enhancements for Medicaid claims and uncompensated care costs. The formula requires annual approval of two-thirds of the elected members of each

house by concurrent resolution. The proposed constitutional amendment would be submitted for voter approval at the November 4, 2014 statewide election. MEDICAL ASSISTANCE TRUST FUND * House Bill 533, reported with amendments, would create the Medical Assistance Trust Fund (MATF) to allow healthcare provider groups to deposit money into a state-operated fund to receive Medicaid reimbursement. The legislation also establishes a Medicaid base rate of reimbursement. The legislature would annually appropriate monies from the fund necessary for Medicaid Program expenditures of each participating provider group. The healthcare provider groups who pay fees into the account include nursing facilities, intermediate care facilities for people with developmental disabilities, prescriptions, medical transportation providers, and health care premium assessments paid by Medicaid-enrolled managed care organizations. HB533, a proposed constitutional amendment, would be submitted to voters at the next statewide election held November 4, 2014. WEAPONS/FIREARMS * The House Committee

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Administration of Criminal Justice approved House Bill 5, known as the Louisiana Preservation of Individual Gun Rights of Citizens Act, which seeks to prohibit the enforcement of any federal law in the state of Louisiana that attempts the following: (1) ban or restrict the ownership or possession of a semi-automatic firearm, or any magazine, accessory, or ammuni t ion for a semi-automatic firearm, as defined by federal law. (2) require that any semi-automatic firearm, magazine, accessory, or ammunition for a semi-automatic firearm be registered in any manner. The provisions of HB5 shall apply only to semi-automatic firearms, magazines, accessories, and ammunition for such firearms which are owned or possessed within the state of Louisiana and remain exclusively within Louisiana's borders. HB5 would criminalize the enforcement or attempted enforcement of an unenforceable federal law, rule, regulation or executive order with a fine of $5,000, imprisonment for two years, or both. * House Bill 8, approved as amended, would prohibit the release of information contained in concealed handgun permit applications and the release of information regarding the identify of a handgun permit applicant. An employee of DPSC or a law enforcement officer who intentionally releases information in an application for a concealed handgun permit or the applicant's identity information would receive a mandatory fine of $500, imprisonment for not more than six months, or both. And any other person who publishes, disseminates, or makes public any information contained in an application for a concealed

handgun permit including an applicant's identity shall be fined $5,000, imprisoned for two years, with or without hard labor, or both. * House Bill 6, pending action by the full House, would exempt law enforcement officers from the crime of carrying a firearm or dangerous weapon on school property. DEEPWATER HORIZON * House Bill 118, a proposed constitutional amendment, would require monies received by the state for violations associated with the Deepwater Horizon oil spill to be deposited into the coastal Protection and Restoration Fund and used for coastal protection and restoration efforts. DEBT RELIEF SERVICES * House Bill 567, pending House final passage, would allow debt management and debt settlement services in the state and provides for registration and regulation by the office of the attorney general. PUBLIC SAFETY * The House Transportation Committee approved House Bill 71, which would require law enforcement officers to check for compliance with the compulsory motor vehicle insurance law during traffic stops. * The House Transportation Committee approved House Bill 218, which would change the definition of "autocycle" to include enclosed motorcycles with a roll cage, and would exempt operators of an autocycle with a roll cage from having to wear a safety helmet. This legislation applies to the threewheeled vehicle Elio, which is expected to go into production beginning June 2014. DESIGN-BUILD CONTRACTS

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* House Bill 559 would extend the length of time from six years to eight years, or until July 10, 2015, for certain public entities to use the design-build method for the construction or repair of any public building or structure that was destroyed or damaged by Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Rita, or both. These entities are the Division of Administration; the Recovery School District; the Orleans Parish School Board; the city of New Orleans; the Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans; and parish governments of Calcasieu, Cameron, Jefferson, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Tammany, and Vermilion parishes; and the Port of New Orleans. HB559, approved by the House Transportation Committee, has moved to the House floor for consideration. CHILD SUPPORT * HCR32, pending House final passage, requests the Louisiana Law Institute to review child support guidelines and laws regarding custody and visitation relative to children with developmental disabilities. OPTOMETRISTS * House Bill 527, pending House floor debate, would allow optometrists to perform limited ophthalmic surgery procedures, and to prescribe controlled substances in Schedule III, IV, and V of the Uniform Controlled Substances Law and hydrocodone combination drugs. LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS LICENSING * The House Committee on Agriculture, Forestry, Aquaculture, and Rural Development approved House Bill 200, which would require landscape architect exam

applicants to meet the minimum qualification standards approved by the Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards or its successor to qualify for testing for the national landscape architect exam. Additionally, in order to qualify for the Louisiana Landscape Architect Examination, HB200 requires the applicant to submit evidence of passing the national examination prepared by the Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards, or its successor. ST. TAMMANY PARISH CORONER * House Bill 561, approved favorably, would transfer financial and management authority from the St. Tammany coroner's office to the governing authority of St. Tammany Parish, and provides the responsibilities of the governing authority relative to the use of ad valorem tax proceeds and related matters.

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