By Matt Houston
The 2017 legislative session opens with Gov. John Bel Edwards imploring lawmakers to face up to the state’s problems.
Author: manshipxgr
Does legislature have ‘political will’ to fix La.?
By Sam Karlin
BATON ROUGE — When state lawmakers ended their work last year, having passed a host of temporary tax increases to help fill a looming budget hole, many shrugged off the fact they did not make significant long-term changes to a tax code widely considered broken.
After all, the temporary taxes, most notably a one-cent increase to the sales tax, would roll off in 2018, putting pressure on the Legislature this year to make bold changes to the tax code and budget.
Upcoming Louisiana highway projects discussed as session opens
By Carrie Grace Henderson and Tryfon Boukouvidis
The joint Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works set the tone for what is expected to be a raucous debate in the 2017 Legislative session that opened Monday over the proposal to raise the gas tax.
The committee approved the Highway Priority Construction Program for the next fiscal year, but stripped it of its provisions that would take effect if the state came into more state or federal money.
Why so few women among La. state lawmakers?
By Sarah Gamard
BATON ROUGE –- The National Conference of State Legislatures’ list of states ranked by percentage of women in the state legislature shows Louisiana has improved to 44th place after being dead last in 2015.
That year, Louisiana had 13 women in the House and four in the Senate. In 2016, those numbers had increased to 17 and five, respectively. The 22 women represent 15 percent of the total delegates.
Read the story in houmatoday.com/The Courier
Kids who bring toy guns to school could go to jail if bill passes
By Rose Velazquez
BATON ROUGE — Louisiana students, technically as young as kindergarteners, who bring toy guns to school could face criminal penalties under a proposal state lawmakers will consider during a session that begins Monday.
House Bill 43, by Rep. Dodie Horton, R-Haughton, would ban the possession of “imitation firearms, projectiles or ammunition” in Louisiana schools, at school-sponsored events or within 1,000 feet of campuses.
Ordinance violators could get community service over fines, jail time
By Rose Velazquez
BATON ROUGE — Rather than facing suffocating fines or the possibility of jail time, Louisiana residents who violate parish ordinances may be sentenced in the alternative to up to 200 hours of community service if House Bill 19 by Rep. Tanner Magee, R-Houma, is approved in the 2017 legislative session.
The current law sets the penalty for those who violate a parish ordinance at a maximum $500 fine and 30 days in a parish jail. HB19 would allow judges to use community service in place of – or in addition to — traditional penalties.
Read the story in The Shreveport Times
La. lawmakers propose equal-pay measure
By Sarah Gamard and Rose Velazquez
BATON ROUGE — State lawmakers are again aiming to close the pay gap between men and women in Louisiana, something a new poll indicates has wide support among residents.
Louisiana ranks second in the nation for greatest wage gap between men and women, 32 cents less per dollar of wages than men.
Houma lawmaker proposes alternative sentencing for minor offenses
By Rose Velazquez
BATON ROUGE — A Houma lawmaker has proposed a measure that would give judges a new option in sentencing people who violate parish ordinances.
Current law sets the penalty at a maximum $500 fine and 30 days in a parish jail.
House Bill 19, by state Rep. Tanner Magee, R-Houma, would allow judges to give a sentence of up to 200 hours of community service in place of – or in addition to — traditional penalties.
Gov. Edwards wants to exclude disabled students from corporal punishment
By Caitie Burkes
State Rep. Franklin J. Foil, R-Baton Rouge, said he was surprised when he picked up the phone and Gov. John Bel Edwards’ office was on the other end, asking if he would consider sponsoring a bill.
The measure, which Foil would later pre-file as House Bill 79, would prohibit corporal punishment for students with exceptionalities – excluding gifted and talented students — in Louisiana public and charter schools.
“I was surprised that that was even allowed under our law,” Foil said.
Morrell prefiles bill to exclude tampons and diapers from state sales tax
By Sarah Gamard
A New Orleans lawmaker wants to exempt tampons and other feminine hygiene products, as well as diapers, from the Louisiana sales tax. But pre-session blowback to Senate Bill 24 is already starting, he says.
State Sen. J.P. Morrell, D-New Orleans, says some males already are arguing against the prefiled proposal as a “special handout” to women, and say it’s only fair their beer and fast food be exempt as well.
LSU Manship School Statehouse Bureau 