By Jack Richards
BATON ROUGE — When the 2016 Louisiana Legislature withdraws on June 23 from its Statehouse entrenchment,following a second special session that begins today, it will have served 19 consecutive weeks, the longest weekly stretch in the legislative branch’s 204-year history.
Starting Feb. 14, it will have spanned three seasons of the year.
By Justin DiCharia
BATON ROUGE – With just days left in the 2016 General Session of the Louisiana Legislature, lawmakers have written and introduced 1,644 bills, but only 281 of them have become law – a 17 percent success rate.
Read the story in The News Star
By Samuel Carter Karlin
BATON ROUGE – Quietly discussed changes to Louisiana’s individual income tax could be a means in the upcoming special legislative session to relieve the deflated budget if lawmakers agree revenue is needed to fund TOPS, safety-net hospitals and other agencies.
And lawmakers could make those changes as soon as the special session beginning Monday night, but some legislators, especially in the House, are wary of Gov. John Bel Edwards’ plan to raise revenue and reluctant to touch anymore tax increases.
By Justin DiCharia
BATON ROUGE — What was thought to be a routine amendment to placate senators calling a ban on abortions for genetic abnormalities unconstitutional may unintentionally have rendered the bill moot.
House Bill 1019 passed the Senate 29-6 over the claim that the bill was unconstitutional and reminders that the state is in no financial shape to cover costly legal challenges and one senator’s accusations of rampant hypocrisy in the chamber.
By Jack Richards
BATON ROUGE — The House voted 95-7 to allow the management boards of the state’s colleges and universities to raise or lower tuition without the legislature’s approval.
Senate Bill 80, by Sen. Blade Morrish, R-Jennings, would let the boards of the LSU, UL and Southern systems and the community and technical colleges to set their own tuition rates.
By Samuel Carter Karlin
BATON ROUGE — A “transparency” bill allowing family members to receive documents used in autopsy reports sailed past the House Judiciary Committee Thursday.
By Tierra Smith
BATON ROUGE – The Louisiana Statehouse is in the hands of criminals – and it’s not who first comes to mind.
Every weekday, state correctional officers transport about 40 Dixon Correctional Institute (DCI) inmates 30 miles from the Jackson, La., facility to the Louisiana State Capitol. The DIC inmates keep the Statehouse looking good, functioning and fed.
By Samuel Carter Karlin
BATON ROUGE — A resolution urging the Department of Health and Hospitals to study whether the effects of a drug- or chemical-induced abortion can be reversed has been adopted by the House after representatives agreed to Senate amendments.
By Jack Richards
BATON ROUGE — The Senate voted 36-1 to allow all juvenile offenders sentenced to life without parole the chance for a parole hearing after serving 35 years.
House Bill 264 by House Criminal Justice chairman Sherman Mack, R-Albany, originally gave the chance for parole only to those cases prior to 2012. But an amendment by Sen. Danny Martini, R-Metairie, made it all-inclusive.
By Jack Richards
BATON ROUGE — Senate Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Committee unanimously approved a bill to sharpen the ability of the Department of Revenue to collect sales tax on internet and other out- of-state retailers.
House Bill 1121 by Rep. Walt Leger, D-New Orleans, requires retailers to report certain information to help the state collect sales tax that currently goes largely unreported.
LSU Manship School Statehouse Bureau 