Louisiana Farm Bureau Legislative Report

May 13, 2016

It was a quiet week again this week at the Louisiana legislature. There were no Agriculture committee meetings, and there will be no more this session. The last four weeks will be spent on the House and the Senate floors focusing on the budget and preparing for a possible special session to address the State's deficit. There are several bills regarding Agriculture that we will watch for amendments that could be damaging to the industry as these issues are wide-ranging. We will do the heavy lifting at the Capitol, but if we call on you to participate via VoterVoice, please hit the submit button. Yes, it was quiet in Baton Rouge this week, and quiet is good!

Click on any of the links below to view the entire bill.

HB 199 by Rep. Thibaut provides for a feral hog management program at the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.  This bill was voluntarily deferred by the House Natural Resources Committee.

HB 209 by Rep. Brown repeals the sunset provision applicable to the Louisiana Scrap Metal Recyclers Law.  This bill passed the House by a vote of 95 to 0 and was then referred to the Senate Commerce Committee.

HB 239 by Rep. Brown removes the waiting period on the sale of certain scrap metals.  This bill was voluntarily deferred by the House Commerce Committee

HB 251 by Rep. Chaney provides relative to the State Soil and Water Conservation Commission members.  This bill was signed by the Governor and will go into effect August 1, 2016.

HB 256 by Rep. Hunter provides with respect to the prohibition of any parish or municipality establishing a minimum wage rate.  This bill was referred to the House Committee on House Labor and Industrial Relations.

HB 278 by Rep. Bagley provides for the taking of outlaw quadrupeds.  This bill was scheduled to be heard by the House Natural Resources Committee but was not heard during that time.

HB 290 by Rep. Gisclair changes the name of certain oyster harvest gear from “dredge” to “scraper” and provides for limitations on the dimensions of the scrapers.  This bill passed the Senate by a vote of 33 to 0 and is now on the Governor’s desk.

HB 297 by Rep. Hunter provides a minimum wage for any municipality having a population between 48,000 and 49,000.  This bill was referred to the House Committee on House Labor and Industrial Relations.

HB 303 by Rep. Leopold requires successful completion of an oyster harvester education program prior to applying for an oyster harvester license.  This bill passed the Senate by a vote of 36 to 0 and is now on headed back to the House for concurrence.

HB 313 by Rep. Garofalo provides for disclosure of information to property owners whose property is subject to expropriation.  This bill passed the Senate by a vote of 36 to 0 and is now on the Governor’s desk. 

HB 332 by Rep. Montoucet modifies the composition of the La. Crawfish Promotion and Research Board.  This bill passed the Senate by a vote of 38 to 0 and is now on headed back to the House for concurrence.

HB 335 by Rep. Schexnayder provides for the establishment of an unmanned aerial system registration fee relative to agriculture.  This bill was laid out for consideration in the Senate but was then returned to the calendar and is subject to call.

HB 370 by Rep. Bouie establishes a state minimum wage.  This bill was referred to the House Committee on House Labor and Industrial Relations.

HB 424 by Rep. Bishop extends the cooperative endeavor program for use of the state’s surface water resources.  This bill was reported favorably by the Senate Natural Resources Committee and is now set on the Senate orders.

HB 425 by Rep. Bouie allows any municipality with a population of over 320,000 to enact local minimum wage or employee benefit law.  This bill was referred to the House Committee on House Labor and Industrial Relations.

HB 477 by Rep. Ivey provides for the dedication of mineral revenues.  This bill was voluntarily deferred by the House Appropriations Committee.

HB 504 by Rep. Ivey is a Constitutional Amendment to provide for the dedication of mineral revenues.  This bill was voluntarily deferred by the House Appropriations Committee.

HB 512 by Rep. Shadoin is a Constitutional Amendment to eliminate certain constitutional dedication of revenue.   This bill was referred to the House Appropriations Committee.

HB 515 by Rep. Anders provides relative to the inspection of meat.  This bill was signed by the Governor and goes into effect August 1, 2016.

HB 516 by Rep. Anders provides relative to the Louisiana Aquatic Chelonian Research and Promotion Board.  The House concurred in Senate amendments by a vote of 91 to 0 and the bill is now on the Governor’s desk.

HB 523 by Rep. Carter provides relative to the Dairy Industry Promotion Law.  This bill was signed by the Governor and will go into effect August 1, 2016.

HB 526 by Rep. Carter requires permit for certain ground water users.  This bill was voluntarily deferred by the House Natural Resources Committee.

HB 527 by Rep. Carter prohibits certain uses of surface water from a scenic river.  This was involuntarily deferred by the House Natural Resources Committee.

HB 528 by Rep. Carter prohibits certain use of ground water and certain surface water and prohibits use for hydraulic fracking.  This bill was voluntarily deferred by the House Natural Resources Committee.

HB 553 by Rep. Marcelle designates and provides for critical areas of ground water concern.  This bill was involuntarily deferred by the House Natural Resources Committee.

HB 564 by Rep. Richard provides relative to authorized uses of the banks of navigable rivers and streams. This bill was discharged from the House Civil Law Committee and then withdrawn.

HB 568 by Rep. Richard requires a commercial motor vehicle driver’s license to transport certain commodities in commercial motor vehicles.  This bill was referred to the House Transportation Committee.

HB 569 by Rep. Schexnayder provides relative to designated authorities for federal and state cooperation with provisions of the Federal Meat Inspection Act and Federal Poultry Products Inspection Act.  This bill passed the Senate by a vote of 36 to 1 and is now on its way back to the House for concurrence.

HB 578 by Rep. James is a Constitutional Amendment to authorize local governments to impose a tax on motor fuels.  This bill was referred to the House Ways and Means Committee.

HB 592 by Rep. Anders provides with respect to the Agricultural Commodities Dealer and Warehouse law.  This bill was signed by the Governor and will go into effect August 1, 2016.

HB 601 by Rep. Jackson provides relative to the susceptibility of the Department of Agriculture and Forestry being declared an indispensible party in certain lawsuits.  This bill passed the House by a vote of 97 to 0 and was then referred to the Senate Committee on Senate Judiciary A where it was voluntarily deferred.

HB 636 by Rep. Leopold amends the public oyster seed ground vessel permit.  This bill passed the Senate by a vote of 36 to 0 and was sent back to the House for concurrence.

HB 703 by Rep. Johnson prohibits the withdrawal of water from Spring Bayou in Avoyelles Parish.  This bill was scheduled to be heard by the House Natural Resources Committee on April 13, but was then removed from the hearing.

HB 819 by Rep. Morris provides for the Oilfield Site Restoration Fund.  This bill voluntarily deferred by the Senate Natural Resources Committee.

HB 837 by Rep. Gisclair is relative to the Oilfield Site Restoration Program.  This bill was scheduled to be heard by the House Natural Resources Committee on Wednesday, April 20, at 9:30 a.m. but was voluntarily deferred.

HB 840 by Rep. Havard provides relative to weight, size, height, and length limitations for certain vehicles for movement on roads.  This bill was set to be heard by the House Transportation Committee on Tuesday, April 26, at 9:30 a.m. in Room 3 but was then removed from the hearing.

HB 856 by Rep. Huval provides a limitation of liability for landowners who grant a rite of passage to cemeteries.  This bill is scheduled to be heard by the Senate Committee on Senate Judiciary A on Tuesday, May 10, at 9:30 a.m.

HB 902 by Rep. Leopold provides a process by which the oyster lease moratorium can be lifted.  This bill passed the House by a vote of 93 to 0 and is now on the Senate orders.

HB 909 by Rep. Anders and Martiny provides with respect to limitation of terms of members of boards and commissions.  This bill was signed by the Governor and went into effect May 10, 2016.

HB 967 by Rep. Thibaut authorizes parish governing authorities to regulate livestock.  This bill passed the Senate by a vote of 34 to 0 and is now enrolled.

HB 1011 by Rep. Morris authorizes a state sales and use tax rebate for taxes paid on purchases of certain agricultural manufacturing machinery and equipment.  This bill was recommitted to the House Ways and Means Committee.

HB 1085 by Rep. Montoucet authorizes institutions of higher education to develop a pilot program to study the growth, cultivation or marketing of industrial hemp for agricultural or academic research.  This bill was voluntarily deferred by the Senate Ag Committee.

HCR 9 by Rep. Thibaut creates the Feral Hog Management Advisory Task Force.  A House conference committee was appointed consisting of Rep. Thibaut, Bishop, and Chad Brown.  The Senate appointed a conference committee consisting of Sen. Chabert, Ward, and Thompson.  It is now set on the Senate orders.

HR 3 by Rep. Schexnayder recognizes St. James Parish as the Perique Tobacco Capital of the World.  This resolution is now enrolled and is now filed with the Secretary of State.

SB 26 by Sen. Allain provides relative to servitudes of natural drainage.  This bill was reported favorably by the House Civil Law Committee and is now set on the House orders.

SB 29 by Sen LaFleur provides relative to the sale of raw milk by a farmer to a consumer.  This bill was heard by the House Agriculture Committee on Thursday, May 5, where it failed to pass favorably from committee.

SB 105 by Sen. Peacock requires certain commodities to be covered when transported on certain highways.  This bill was voluntarily deferred by the Senate Transportation Committee.

SB 124 by Sen. Claitor creates the crime of criminal trespass by unmanned aircraft.  This bill was voluntarily deferred by the Senate Committee on Senate Judiciary C.  It was then substituted for SB 472 by Sen. Claitor.

SB 141 by Sen. Claitor adds surveillance by unmanned aircraft to the crime of criminal trespass.  This bill was voluntarily deferred by the House Criminal Justice Committee.

SB 165 by Sen. Allain requires landowner notification when an operator transfers an oil or gas well.  This bill was reported favorably by the House Natural Resources and Environmental Committee and set on the House orders.

SB 244 by Sen. Milkovich allows year-round nighttime hunting of feral hogs and coyotes on private property.  This bill was voluntarily deferred by the Senate Natural Resources Committee.

SB 257 by Sen. Walsworth provides relative to underground storage tanks and the Motor Fuels Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund.  This bill passed the Senate as amended by a vote of 34 to 0.

SB 269 by Sen. Peterson provides for an increase in the state minimum wage.  This bill was scheduled to be heard by the Senate Finance Committee but was not heard by the committee.

SB 345 by Sen. Ward establishes the Feral Hog Task Force.  This bill passed the Senate by a vote of 38 to 0 and was then referred to the House Natural Resources and Environmental Committee.

SB 382 by Sen. Thompson prohibits local government entities and other local governing authorities from regulating the registration, distribution, sale, or planting of seeds.  This was reported favorably by the House Agriculture Committee.

SB 420 by Sen. Thompson requires BESE and the Dept. of Agriculture and Forestry to develop and implement a Farm to School Program.  This bill is scheduled to be heard by the House Committee on House Education on Tuesday, May 17, at 9:00 a.m. in Room 1.

SB 435 by Sen Morrell provides relative to the theft of animals.  This bill is scheduled to be heard by the House Administration of Criminal Justice Committee on Wednesday, May 18, at 9:30 a.m. in Room 6.

SB 437 by Sen. Morrish abolishes the Louisiana Rice Research Board and the Louisiana Rice Promotion Board and creates the Louisiana Rice Promotion and Research Board.  The bill was referred to the Senate Agriculture Committee.