Committee advances a slate of local bills, including preservation fines, sewerage-board governance and several local-authority measures

The House Municipal, Parochial and Cultural Affairs Committee considered a long list of local bills and took the following notable actions:

- HB 87 (Livingston Parish Gas Utility District No. 1): Reported favorably to the floor (motion carried).

- HB 481 (cost of publishing official proceedings and public notices): After extended testimony from press-association and local-government witnesses, reported favorably (10–5 roll call). Sponsors asked for continued technical negotiations.

- HB 573 (Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans substitute): Adopted a substitute to expand council oversight and reported the bill favorably after Mayor Helena Moreno and other city leaders expressed support, and after civil-rights testimony raised equity and fiscal concerns.

- HB 162 (Jefferson Place improvement district): Reported favorably; sponsor said the local district voted to impose a fee and the bill effectuates that local vote.

- HB 368 (historic-preservation enforcement): Representative Freeman’s bill raising fines for unlawful demolition (greater of $50,000 or 15% of assessed value) was reported favorably following testimony about demolition trends and enforcement gaps.

- HB 441 (Sewerage & Water Board employees): Passed to the floor to keep employees in city civil service after prior legislative confusion left their status unclear.

- HB 257 (City of Central police chief authority): Motion to report favorably failed 7–8; committee members expressed concerns about employee due process and concentrating authority in a single elected official.

- HB 741 (housing vouchers for victims of human trafficking): Committee adopted an amendment to add qualified third-party verification and privacy protections and reported the bill favorably.

- HB 466 (West Feliciana ad valorem rebate pilot): Reported favorably; sponsor said a proposed data-center payment-in-lieu pilot could generate large revenues and enable local property-tax rebates.

- HB 115 (abolition of Edgefield police chief office): Reported favorably per the unanimous local request.

- HB 472 (municipal rent stabilization option): After a long hearing with conflicting testimony from landlord and tenant advocates, the sponsor voluntarily deferred the bill to convene stakeholder meetings.

Committee members said they expect continued negotiations and technical drafting for several measures before floor consideration; the committee adjourned with a scheduled continuation if needed.