Life and Dignity of the Human Person

 Support legislation to reduce human trafficking and strengthen post‑care services, including the Metanoia Model, right to speedy trial and use of closed circuit so victims are not retraumatized.

    • Passed ACT 637 creates immunity from law from prostitution-related charges if a minor and instead referred to specialized services
    • Passed Act 669 Provides that local housing authorities will allow for preference for vouchers for victims of human trafficking victims survivors
    • Secured $275,00 for Metanoia House for girls that have been trafficked
    • Defeated HR 403 attempt to expand surrogacy laws through a Task Force
  • Support La. Right to Life initiatives, including hospital reporting requirements of pregnancy complications, pregnancy resource awareness, and safe‑haven education.

 

    • Defeated DHB 261 Enacts that abortion is legal for rape and incest and several others
    • Passed ACT 650 effective 08/01/26 Post information on how a mother can bring her baby to a Safe Haven (Baby Box) without any questions around public schools to increase awareness.
    • Passed Act 259 Requires public schools to provide and post information on pregnancy care centers
    • Passed Act 551 Requires better procedures to ensure death before organ donation and prohibit any intervention that would hasten

 

  • Continue efforts to limit use of the death penalty, Monitor and respond to state legal actions affecting juvenile sentencing, related release for hospice care to family for life in prison inmates.
    • HB 399 releases inmates with end-of-life diagnosis with 4 months to be released to their families or hospice care to die with loved ones around them; LCCB secured Rep. Zeringue to run the bill
  • Defeated HR 1107 to reclassify those on death row with intellectual disabilities
    • Passed ACT 346 Establishes protocols for perinatal bereavement pastoral care services in hospitals
  • Supporting safe gun legislation:
    • Withdrawn HB 99 Allows carrying firearms on college campuses
    • Involuntarily Deferred HB 328 Prohibits carrying firearms on college campuses
  • Support Restorative Reproductive Medicine practices to deal with infertility and identify doctors in Louisiana who practice this method supported by the Catholic Chu
    • Could not continue the HR to study identification of doctors who practice Restorative Reproductive Medicine experiencing issues with opposing information the medical community that RRM is a non-medical intervention; HR to be extended one more year. Need new approach

Call to Family Community and Participation

  • Strengthen Catholic education and expand parental choice
  • (1) Protect religious character and catholic educational approach;(2) Funding of GATOR; (3) Ballot initiative with removal of trust funds…ensure backfill.

 

    • Passed ACT 587 Pre-kindergarten autonomy
    • Amendment #3 failed thus protected the Education Excellence and 8 g funds for Catholic Schools
    • Passed ACT 438 Adds completion of 9 hour of dual enrollment credit to the other existing GPA and ACT score criteria and if you get 2 of the 3 then you can get TOPS
    • Passed Act 548 Requires suicide hot line number on Student ID Cards and on school websites
    • Passed Act 137 Fine Arts Seal GPA and Courses
    • Passed ACT 628 food insecurity screening for public schools
    • Passed ACT 305 Creates a crime with penalties for smoking, vaping or otherwise using a controlled substance on or within 2000 feet of a school including private schools
  • Protect Religious Freedoms and Civil Rights
    • Act 115 criminalizes anyone who disrupts religious service
    • Act 148 right to remove disruptive individuals
    • Passed Act 487 Establishes a monument on State Capitol grounds of the Ten Commandments
    • Passed ACT 542 Increases fines for desecration of graves and increases penalties for vandalism of religious buildings and requires restitution of damages
    • Did not Pass SB 365 Create the Louisiana Voting Rights Act

Support legislation that strengthens families, including:

    • Passed ACT 512 to support Fatherhood initiatives
    • Passed Act 655: Allows children in foster care to keep the federal benefits like social security from their parents into a trust fund until they can have access at 18 years old
    • Passed Act 436 Offers those that age of foster care at 21 to get a state used older car at a reduced rate
    • Passed Act 817 Creates the Family Leave Insurance Act
    • Expand mental health access and funding, aligned with the USCCB Mental Health
      • Did not move: SB 5 Regulates emotional support chat box to identify that it is not human and refers to counseling if the chat box identifies suicidal ideations

Option for the Poor and Vulnerable

  • Support poverty‑reduction initiatives and implementation of the Empowering Families to Live Well Council Act to address our 49th child poverty ranking.
    1. Passed SR 205 to create a Task Force within the EFWL Council
  • Strengthen efforts addressing homelessness, including housing stability and support services.
    • ACT 805 Establishes minimum housing standards for homeless individuals
    • Act 788 Opposed HB 211 that passed that would engage law enforcement to address homelessness issue

Solidarity in Restorative Justice

  • Support rehabilitative justice models for non‑violent juveniles.
  • Support retroactivity of the non‑unanimous jury law; consider parole review
  • HB 219 failed to create a pathway for those still in prison under the unconstitutional non-unanimous jury to have their cases review by DA for possible parole

Passed but Vetoed SB 125 Increases wrongful conviction compensation fund

  • Strengthen re‑entry programs for justice‑involved individuals.
    • Passed Act 28 Reduces time by 90 days in prison if you earn an associate’s degree while incarcerated
    • Passed Act 290 Creates a re-entry program for women coming out of prison
    • HB 361 involuntarily deferred Restores voting right for those incarcerated
  • Uphold dignity and respect for the immigrant community; apply CST principles
    • HB 335 Passed Expands to any agency entity that is charged with verifying citizenship status for any state or federal benefits to be audited; amended
    • ACT 745 opposed but passed; citizenship verification; food stamps; amended to exempt children
    • Act 6 passes require the Secretary of State to add more procedures to account for any noncitizen with checks with voter registration

Dignity of Work and Rights of Workers

  • Improve workforce development programs that allow individuals to work without losing essential benefits known as the benefits cliff.
    • Passed SB 360 expands to other parishes a pilot program for pathways to independence workforce training after an evaluation is complete
  • Support efforts to increase the minimum wage, particularly for single mothers.
    • Supported but failed HB 269 Creates a state minimum wage of $12 per hour
    • Supported but failed SB 230 Allows for a statewide ballot to increase the minimum wage
    • SR 203 Creates the Louisiana Livable Wage Task Force

 

Care for God’s Creation

Support research/ legislation improving air and water quality in underserved communities.  

    • Supported but did not pass SB 356 Require air monitoring systems for toxic emission for major petrochemical and chemical industries around the perimeter of the facility
  • Expand research/resolution on environmental risks to unborn children and maternal health.  
    • HR 348 to continue to study environmental toxins and low birth and preterm birth rates extended one year
  • Continue remediation of orphaned wells, run off from plants and lead pipes affecting development of children.
  • Monitor carbon capture and data center projects, emphasizing community input, environmental safeguards, and common good positive workforce impacts.  Use principles of subsidiarity and common good.
    • HB 5 Supported but failed to allow local parish governments to decide if carbon capture can proceed in their parish