What’s Effective Now?

We worked hard with our partners during the spring legislative session to ensure some key bills moved forward into law this year. Here’s what has made its way to the Governor, is now signed into law and active that you can celebrate: (arrow swipe)

HB1083, now Act 529, or the CROWN Act, led by Citizen SHE United, prohibits hair discrimination in education, employment, public accommodations, and housing. This allows people to wear their natural hair freely without fear of retaliation. 

HB 784, now Act 188,  the Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders Act (PMADs), will improve perinatal mental health and perinatal health outcomes in our state by providing for perinatal mood disorder screening, treatment, and collaborative care thanks to the leadership of National Birth Equity Collaborative (NBEC).

HB 650 and HB 651, now Act 488 and 489, led by National Birth Equity Collaborative now makes prescription human milk more affordable by allowing medicaid and private insurance coverage.

SB 116, now Act 676, led by Louisiana Progress creates the office on women’s health within the Louisiana Department of Health as an effort to lead and coordinate efforts across the state to improve health outcomes for women and girls.

HB 160, now Act 442, supported by our partners at the Louisiana Fair Housing Action Center, provides protections against evictions in the wake of hurricanes and other disasters.

HB 726, now Act 391, supported by leadership at Louisiana Progress, JAC andVOTE, ensures no one with substantial financial hardship is incarcerated for inability to meet financial obligations for traffic offenses, misdemeanors, or felonies.

HB 162, now Act 36, supported by the leadership at VOTE, means that someone proven to be factually innocent, and people granted a pardon, will not have to pay expungement fees.

HB 746, now Act 496, limits the amount of time a juvenile can be placed in solitary confinement. This was supported by the leadership of many at VOTE, Justice and Accountability Center, Louisiana Center for Children’s Rights, and Louisiana Stop Solitary Coalition.

We will continue to uplift and celebrate the wins from the 2022 legislative session. It took both the fierce leadership of our partners and your active participation along the way. Thank you for taking action and engaging this session.