Louisiana Conference of Catholic Bishops Legislative Review Week Ending 5/23/25

Louisiana Conference of Catholic Bishops Legislative Review Week Ending 5/23/25

As we are nearing the important few weeks to the end of the session, below is a quick review of the last week. It was challenging as you will see.

Life and Dignity of the Human Person

We were able to move forward HB 383 which will promote more in home nursing visiting for improved maternal care. We were justifiably disappointed that the House of Representatives voted down common-sense HB 220 that would have mitigated the impacts of children being killed with unsupervised guns left in the home. We opposed and Floor noted this and identified the Catholic Church position. The National Rifle Association wielding extreme power in getting this vote down.

Call to Family Community and Participation

LCCB was supportive and testified to the ability of parents to choose their best options for education during the public testimony on the budget HB 1. Supporting parents who want to send their children to Catholic schools can be a way of escaping and breaking generational poverty and adheres to the Catholic social teaching of parents as the primary formators of their children.

Option for the Poor and Vulnerable

We are moving SB 104, which is LCCB legislation, to identity and systemically address the fact that Louisiana is 49^th in child poverty which is affront to human dignity. LCCB is testifying to request that the legislature approach homelessness in a comprehensive manner as they consider encampments HB 619.

Solidarity in Restorative Justice

LCCB opposed HB 436 which denies undocumented individuals who have legally purchased auto insurance from being compensated for pain and suffering and lost wages in case of an accident. Medical expenses can be recovered but this will not lower the insurance. Of major disappointment was the defeat of SB 218 which would have begun to address the 700-inmates imprisoned under the now unconstitutional non-unanimous jury verdict. This was a reasonable tiered approach to not overburden the system and acknowledge the victims as well.