12 April 2008

Legislative regular session through Apr. 12, 2008

THE GOOD: HB 1122 by Rep. Bobby Badon would extend early voting hours; SB 685 by Sen. Buddy Shaw would index individual income tax brackets (Similar bill as SB 598: SB 683)

THIS WEEK FOR THE GOOD: HB 34 with minor amendments passed committee; HB 790 passed the House; HB 960 passed the House; HB 1122 passed committee; SB 133 passed committee; SB 167 passed the Senate; SB 328 with minor amendments passed committee.

THIS WEEK FOR THE BAD: HB 106 passed committee; SB 61 with minor amendments passed committee; SB 223 with minor amendments passed committee.

MONDAY: HB 55 is scheduled to be heard by the House Civil Law and Procedure Committee; HB 381 is scheduled to be heard by the House Ways and Means Committee; HB 622 are scheduled to be heard by the House Appropriations Committee; HB 852 is scheduled to be heard by the House Transportation, Highways, and Public Works Committee; SB 598 and SB 653 are scheduled to be heard by the Senate Finance Committee.

Total House introductions: 1130; total Senate introductions: 689.

Total House good bills: 35; total Senate good bills: 23.

Total House bad bills: 35; total Senate bad bills: 13.

Total House good bills heard in committee: 7; total Senate good bills heard in committee: 4.

Total House bad bills heard in committee: 6; total Senate bad bills heard in committee: 2.

Total House good bills passing committee: 4; total Senate good bills passing committee: 2.

Total House bad bills passing committee: 0; total Senate bad bills passing committee: 2.

Total House good bills passing the House: 1; total Senate good bills passing the Senate: 1.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

What about House Bill 319?

Good, bad or ugly?

What is the purpose and the intent?

Why does Richmond care about Plaquemines and Jefferson?

Jeff Sadow said...

Good question. On the surface, it looks like a bill to create more efficiency in government given it seems Plaquemines has few judicial employees and Jefferson many.

But it's suspicious for two reasons. First, as you note, none of this is in Richmond's district and for these kinds of matters the local representatives and/or senators traditionally carry the water. Second, typically this is something supported by the local governments themselves. In this case, I find no evidence of such support. When around my area Sabine and DeSoto Parishes decided to split off and create their own separate judicial districts, it was at the behest of local governments and it was a news item. If Jefferson and Plaquemines Parishes are interested in this, they certainly aren't publicizing their reasons. But, as mentioned above, if they were, they typically would have asked this from somebody from their local delegation, not somebody from New Orleans East.

So, I don't know what he's up to here. Maybe the media will ask him or Jefferson and Plaquemines and/or do some digging.

Anonymous said...

It's because he is going to run for Bill Jefferson's seat and needs to show that he cares about the good people of that district.