31 July 2021

Regular legislative session-plus scores, 2021

With everything dealt with, the Louisiana Legislature Log presents its 2021 Louisiana Legislature scorecard. In a first, it actually will combine both Regular and Veto Session votes to compile this since the latter really acted as an appendage to the former.

Seventeen bills were selected and weighed for computation. These were chosen mainly from the watch list compiled throughout the session. For a bill’s vote(s) to be selected, in one chamber there had to be more than one legislator not voting for the winning or losing side.

Being that passage of bills depends upon the seated membership of a body, not voting is counted as a negative vote. However, if a legislator had a leave of absence granted for that day, his absent votes weren’t counted for bills voted on that day and the score adjusted to take that into account. In the case of constitutional amendments, the governor’s score is adjusted similarly.

24 July 2021

Regular legislative session through Jul. 24, 2021

The unprecedented veto session produced the results below. The scorecard will appear next week.

THIS WEEK FOR THE GOOD: SB 118 had its veto sustained by the Senate; SB 156 had its veto overridden by the Senate and sustained by the House; SB 220 had its veto sustained by the Senate; SB 224 had its veto sustained by the Senate

THIS WEEK FOR THE BAD: SB 203 had its veto sustained by the Senate.

03 July 2021

Regular legislative session through Jul. 3, 2021

The final bill signings and vetoes have come through. Typically, the next and last edition of this space for this session would publish next week, containing the scorecard. However, because a distinct chance exists that a historic veto override session will occur, that will be delayed at least a week pending resolution of that issue.

THIS WEEK FOR THE GOOD: HB 103 was vetoed by the governor, HB 149 was vetoed by the governor; HB 256 was vetoed by the governor; HB 349 was vetoed by the governor; HB 438 was vetoed by the governor; HB 498 was vetoed by the governor; HB 704 was vetoed by the governor.; SB 63 was vetoed by the governor; SB 220 was vetoed by the governor; SB 221 was signed by the governor; SB 224 was vetoed by the governor.

THIS WEEK FOR THE BAD: SB 203 was vetoed by the governor.

26 June 2021

Regular legislative session through Jun. 26, 2021

The clock continues to tick on the signing or vetoing of bills.

THIS WEEK FOR THE GOOD: HB 167 was signed by the governor; HB 211 was signed by the governor; HB 278 was signed by the governor; HB 388 was signed by the governor; HB 423 was signed by the governor; SB 4 was signed by the governor; SB 8 was signed by the governor; SB 118 was vetoed by the governor; SB 156 was vetoed by the governor.

THIS WEEK FOR THE BAD: HB 7 was signed by the governor; HB 391 was signed by the governor; SB 148 was signed by the governor.

19 June 2021

Regular legislative session through Jun. 19, 2021

It’s all about the signing and vetoing of bills now, with constitutional amendments trickling in.

THIS WEEK FOR THE GOOD: HB 154 was received by the secretary of state; HB 199 was received by the secretary of state; HB 280 was signed by the governor; HB 581 was signed by the governor; SB 91 was signed by the governor; SB 124 was signed by the governor; SB 159 was received by the secretary of state; SB 194 was signed by the governor.

THIS WEEK FOR THE BAD: HB 113 was signed by the governor; HB 183 was signed by the governor; HB 286 was signed by the governor; HB 315 was received by the secretary of state; HB 635 was signed by the governor; HB 702 was signed by the governor; SB 116 was signed by the governor.

12 June 2021

Regular legislative session through Jun. 12, 2021

Louisiana is safe again with the Legislature out of session. For what bills made it through the legislative process, it’s all up to the governor now.

Two bad bills disappeared, one new one appeared. HB 514 was amended into a different form to get rid of a permanent tax increase. HB 292 paired with other bills becomes a tax swap. HB 183 created a new spending commitment into perpetuity.

THIS WEEK FOR THE GOOD: HB 20 was vetoed by the governor; HB 103 passed the Senate and was sent to the governor; HB 149 with major amendment passed the Senate, was not concurred in, had conference report accepted by both houses, and was sent to the governor; HB 167 was sent to the governor; HB 211 with minor amendment passed the Senate, was concurred in, and was sent to the governor; HB 256 with major amendment passed the Senate, was concurred in, and was sent to the governor; HB 278 was not concurred in, had conference report accepted by both houses, and was sent to the governor; HB 349 passed the Senate and was sent to the governor; HB 352 with major amendment passed the Senate and was not concurred in; HB 388 passed the Senate and was sent to the governor; HB 423 with minor amendment passed the Senate, was not concurred in, had conference report accepted by both houses, and was sent to the governor; HB 438 was concurred in and sent to the governor; HB 498 with minor amendment passed the Senate, was not concurred in, had conference report accepted by both houses, and was sent to the governor; HB 712 with minor amendment passed the Senate, was concurred in, and sent to the governor; SB 8 was concurred in; SB 63 passed the House and was concurred in. SB 64 was signed by the governor; SB 91 was sent to the governor; SB 118 was sent to the governor; SB 124 was sent to the governor; SB 159 had conference report accepted by both houses; SB 194 was sent to the governor; SB 220 passed the House and was concurred in; SB 224 with major amendment passed the House, was concurred in, and sent to the governor.

05 June 2021

Regular legislative session through Jun. 5, 2021

HB 180 became substituted for by HB 712. Whether this makes any difference as it’s very late in the process is another matter. HB 293 essentially was read into HB 292, so it has been removed from the list of bad bills since standing alone it doesn’t have deleterious effects.

THIS WEEK FOR THE GOOD: HB 20 was sent to the governor; HB 103 passed Senate committee; HB 154 passed Senate committee and passed the Senate; HB 167 was sent to the governor; HB 199 had conference report adopted by both chambers; HB 256 passed Senate committee; HB 278 with major amendment passed Senate committee and with minor amendment passed the Senate; HB 280 was sent to the governor; HB 349 passed Senate committee; HB 352 with major amendment passed Senate committee; HB 388 passed Senate committee; HB 393 with minor amendment passed Senate committee; HB 423 passed Senate committee; HB 438 with minor amendment passed the Senate; HB 498 with major amendment passed Senate committee; HB 581 was concurred in and sent to the governor; HB 596 with minor amendment passed Senate committee; HB 704 passed Senate committee; HB 712 passed House committee; SB 4 was sent to the governor; SB 8 with minor amendment passed the House; SB 64 was sent to the governor; SB 91 was concurred in; SB 118 was concurred in; SB 124 was concurred in; SB 194 passed the House and was concurred in; SB 221 with minor amendment passed the House and concurrence was rejected;

THIS WEEK FOR THE BAD: HB 7 with minor amendment passed Senate committee; HB 84 was sent to the governor; HB 286 was sent to the governor; HB 292 with major amendment passed Senate committee; HB 315 with minor amendment passed Senate committee; HB 378 was sent to the governor; HB 391 was concurred in and sent to the governor; HB 514 with minor amendment passed Senate committee; HB 635 passed Senate committee; HB 702 passed Senate committee; SB 24 was signed by the governor; SB 116 was concurred in; SB 148 concurrence was rejected; SB 203 was sent to the governor.

29 May 2021

Regular legislative session through May 29, 2021

HB 514 became a bad bill with a vengeance as a result of a Senate floor amendment that made the 2016/2018 temporary sales tax increase permanent.

THIS WEEK FOR THE GOOD: HB 20 was sent to the governor; HB 149 passed Senate committee; HB 167 passed the Senate; HB 276 passed the House; HB 280 passed the Senate, HB 352 with minor amendment passed the House; HB 581 with minor amendment passed the Senate; HB 650 was deferred involuntarily; SB 8 passed House committee; SB 63 with minor amendment passed House committee; SB 64 passed the House; SB 91 with minor amendment passed the House; SB 118 with minor amendment passed the House; SB 124 with minor amendment passed the House; SB 156 passed the House; SB 159 had the Senate reject House amendments; SB 220 with minor amendment passed House committee; SB 224 passed House committee.

THIS WEEK FOR THE BAD: HB 7 with minor amendment passed the House; HB 84 passed the Senate; HB 113 passed Senate committee; HB 248 passed the Senate; HB 286 passed the Senate; HB 378 passed the Senate; HB 391 with minor amendment passed the Senate; HB 514 with major amendment was recommitted in the Senate; HB 659 failed to pass the House; HB 709 failed to pass the House; SB 24 passed the House and was sent to the governor; SB 116 with minor amendment passed the House; SB 148 with minor amendment passed the House; SB 163 with major amendment passed House committee; SB 203 passed the House.

22 May 2021

Regular legislative session through May 22, 2021

Amendments to HB 158 remove it from the list of bad bills.

THIS WEEK FOR THE GOOD: HB 20 passed the Senate; HB 40 passed the House; HB 103 with major amendment passed House committee and with minor amendment passed the House; HB 138 with minor amendment passed the House; HB 149 passed the House; HB 211 passed Senate committee; HB 274 passed the House; HB 278 with major amendment passed the House; HB 280 passed Senate committee; HB 388 with minor amendment passed the House; HB 428 with minor amendment passed the House; HB 438 with minor amendment passed Senate committee; HB 498 with minor amendment passed House committee and with minor amendment passed the House; HB 556 with minor amendment passed House committee and with minor amendment passed the House; HB 578 with minor amendment passed the House; HB 597 with major amendment passed the House; HB 704 with minor amendment passed the House; SB 4 passed House committee; SB 64 passed House committee; SB 118 with minor amendment passed House committee; SB 159 passed the House; SB 194 with minor amendment passed House committee; SB 221 with minor amendment passed House committee.

THIS WEEK FOR THE BAD: HB 84 passed Senate committee; HB 113 with minor amendment passed the House; HB 248 passed Senate committee; HB 286 passed Senate committee; HB 315 passed the House; HB 615 failed to pass the House; SB 24 with minor amendment passed the House; SB 163 with minor amendment passed House committee; SB 203 passed House committee.

15 May 2021

Regular legislative session through May 15, 2021

Substitute bills keep coming, with HB 83 becoming HB 708 and HB 637 became HB 709. The text of HB 707, finally posted as a substitute for HB 480, caused its removal from the list of bad bills as it removes

THIS WEEK FOR THE GOOD: HB 20 passed Senate committee; HB 40 passed House committee; HB 149 with major amendment passed House committee; HB 154 passed the House; HB 199 with minor amendment passed the Senate; HB 213 passed House committee; HB 280 with minor amendment passed the House; HB 352 passed House committee; HB 393 passed the House; HB 423 with minor amendment passed the House; HB 428 with minor amendment passed House committee; HB 438 with minor amendment passed the House; HB 487 with major amendment passed House committee; HB 578 with minor amendment passed the House; HB 581 passed Senate committee; HB 597 with minor amendment passed House committee; HB 650 with major amendment passed the House; HB 653 with minor amendment passed the House; HB 708 passed House committee; SB 91 with minor amendment passed House committee; SB 124 passed House committee; SB 156 passed House committee; SB 159 with major amendment passed House committee; SB 220 with minor amendment passed the Senate; SB 224 with minor amendment passed the Senate.

THIS WEEK FOR THE BAD: HB 113 with major amendment passed House committee; HB 286 with minor amendment passed the House; HB 315 with minor amendment passed House committee; HB 378 passed Senate committee; HB 391 passed Senate committee; HB 635 passed the House; HB 702 passed the House; HB 709 passed House committee; SB 116 passed House committee; SB 148 with minor amendment passed House committee.

08 May 2021

Regular legislative session through May 8, 2021

Committee action transformed HB 132, HB 379, and HB 652 into benign bills, and these have been removed from the list of bad bills. Also, bad bill HB 480 was reported by substitute, but the text of that as yet to be filed.

THIS WEEK FOR THE GOOD: HB 20 passed the House; HB 118 with major amendment passed the House; HB 167 passed Senate committee; HB 199 with minor amendment passed Senate committee; HB 211 passed the House; HB 256 passed the House; HB 280 with minor amendment passed House committee; HB 423 with minor amendment passed House committee; HB 438 with minor amendment passed House committee; HB 578 passed House committee; HB 579 was deferred involuntarily; HB 596 with minor amendment passed the House; HB 599 became substituted for with HB 704; HB 650 with minor amendment passed House committee; HB 653 with minor amendment passed House committee; HB 704 passed House committee; SB 4 passed the Senate; SB 124 passed the Senate; SB 156 with minor amendment passed the Senate;  SB 198 with minor amendment passed the Senate; SB 224 with minor amendment passed Senate committee.

THIS WEEK FOR THE BAD: HB 7 passed House committee; HB 84 passed the House; HB 245 passed House committee; HB 248 with minor amendment passed House committee; HB 324 failed to pass the House; HB 378 passed the House; HB 391 passed the House; HB 402 passed House committee; HB 468 with minor amendment passed House committee; HB 497 became substituted for by HB 702; HB 635 passed House committee; HB 702 passed House committee; SB 24 passed House committee.

01 May 2021

Regular legislative session through May 1, 2021

From here on out, the only new bills are old bills, substitutes. This provokes another bad bill, HB 699 as a substitute for HB 524 (see below).

Also, HB 292 and HB 293 have been dropped from the list of good bills and instead join the list of bad bills. They are intended to create a flat rate for corporate income taxation and eliminate the federal tax deduction for corporations. However, in current form they produce a substantial net tax increase (see below).

THIS WEEK FOR THE GOOD: HB 20 with minor amendment passed House committee; HB 118 with minor amendment passed House committee; HB 154 with minor amendment passed House committee; HB 167 with minor amendment passed the House; HB 211 with minor amendment passed House committee; HB 256 passed House committee; HB 273 passed House committee; HB 349 with minor amendment passed House committee and with minor amendment passed the House; HB 393 passed House committee; HB 454 was deferred involuntarily; HB 581 with minor amendment passed the House; HB 596 with minor amendment passed House committee; SB 4 passed Senate committee; SB 91 with minor amendment passed the Senate; SB 115 passed Senate committee; SB 118 with major amendment passed the Senate; SB 124 passed Senate committee; SB 156 passed Senate committee; SB 194 passed the Senate; SB 198 passed Senate committee; SB 219 with major amendment passed the Senate; SB 221 with minor amendment passed the Senate.

24 April 2021

Regular legislative session through Apr. 24, 2021

Some more bills got in before filing for the session closes.

THE BAD: HB 693 by Rep. Paula Davis extends an unneeded tax and to restrictively assigns its avails; HB 696 by Rep. Mandie Landry revives the death tax.

THIS WEEK FOR THE GOOD: HB 138 with minor amendment passed House committee; HB 167 with minor amendment passed House committee; HB 171 with major amendment passed House committee; HB 199 passed House committee and with minor amendment passed the House; HB 207 passed House committee; HB 274 passed House committee; HB 275 passed House committee; HB 278 with minor amendment passed House committee; HB 369 passed House committee; HB 376 with major amendment passed House committee; HB 388 with major amendment passed House committee; HB 475 with minor amendment passed the House; HB 581 with minor amendment passed House committee; HB 612 with minor amendment passed House committee; HB 629 with major amendment passed House committee; SB 1 with minor amendment passed Senate committee; SB 8 with major amendment passed the Senate; SB 63 with minor amendment passed Senate committee; SB 91 passed Senate committee; SB 118 passed Senate committee; SB 159 passed the Senate;  SB 194 passed Senate committee; SB 219 with minor amendment passed Senate committee; SB 221 with minor amendment passed Senate committee.

17 April 2021

Regular legislative session through Apr. 17, 2021

Off to a faster start than usual with the volume of tax change bills out there, some bills still are being put into the hopper.

THE BAD: HB 659 by Rep. Matthew Willard would create a largely-duplicative, unneeded tax break; HB 660 by Rep. Jason Hughes would increase the Earned Income Tax Credit.

THIS WEEK FOR THE GOOD: HB 199 passed House committee; HB 292 with technical amendment passed House committee; HB 293 with technical amendment passed House committee; SB 159 passed Senate committee.

11 April 2021

Good, Bad, and Ugly Bills for the 2021 Regular Session

Welcome to the first post of the 2021 Regular Session, as always the good, bad, and ugly bills prefiled. Given that particularly the tax-related bills interact so complexly with each other, bills could appear and disappear weekly from this list depending upon their amendments and combinations moving forward.

THE GOOD: HB 16 by Rep. Danny McCormick would reduce bureaucracy regarding the ability to carry a concealed firearm (similar bill: HB 596; SB 118); HB 20 by Rep. Blake Miguez would make more difficult private interests interfering with elections; HB 30 by Rep. Phillip DeVillier would reduce severance taxes to create a more balanced energy policy; HB 36 by DeVillier would reduce waste in the Motion Picture Production Tax Credit program; HB 40 by Rep. Mark Wright would wean off using money for transportation better suited for infrastructure from personnel costs; HB 61 by Rep. Valarie Hodges would reduce fraudulent Earned Income Tax Credit claims; HB 83 by Rep. Bryan Fontenot doesn’t allow bail decisions in one parish to override those of another; HB 103 by McCormick would reduce discrimination on the basis of coronavirus vaccine reception; HB 118 by Rep. Larry Frieman would strengthen Second Amendment protections; HB 138 by Rep. Les Farnum would strengthen ballot integrity (similar bills: HB 167, HB 581, HB 599, HB 653, SB 63, 64, SB 219, SB 220; SB 221, SB 224); HB 149 by Frieman would clarify emergency declaration powers; HB 154 by Rep. Zee Zeringue would amend the Constitution to allow for greater latitude in investments for some state funds; HB 180 by Rep. Jonathan Goudreau would reduce unemployment compensation waste; HB 203 by Rep. Stuart Bishop would amend the Constitution to change vote requirements that create more efficient use of tax exceptions; HB 204 by Rep. Christopher Turner would allow for greater flexibility in delivery of some Medicaid waiver services; HB 205 by DeVillier would amend the Constitution to eliminate the corporate federal income tax deduction (similar bills: HB 208, HB 209, HB 210, HB 274, HB 275, HB 292, HB 293, HB 454); HB 207 by Zeringue would amend the Constitution to broaden and flatten non-corporate income taxation (similar bills: HB 171, HB 206, HB 233, HB 278, HB 369, HB 376, HB 441, HB 475, HB 486, HB 488, HB 504, HB 546, SB 159), HB 211 by Rep. Mark Wright would strengthen public school choice options; HB 213 by Rep. Tony Bacala would strengthen accountability of Medicaid; HB 256 by Rep. Philip Tarver would end privileging of teacher unions under law; HB 273 by Rep. Beau Beallieu would amend the Constitution to create a more realistic expenditure limit (similar bill: HB 276); HB 279 by DeVillier would phase out the corporate franchise tax (similar bills: HB 520, HB 543, HB 547, HB 629); HB 280 by Rep. Rick Edmonds would expand access to and accountability of the state’s voucher program; HB 297 by Tarver encourages more responsible administration of mayor’s courts; HB 349 by Rep. Kathy Edmonston would prohibit the state from permitting use of potentially discriminatory medical information (similar bills: HB 498, SB 198); HB 352 by Hodges would clarify civics instruction; HB 356 by Bacala would improve Medicaid efficiency; HB 388 by Rep. Lance Harris would increase the efficiency of ballot tabulation; HB 393 by Rep. Joseph Oregon would remove impediments to wine sales; HB 423 by Julie Emerson would provide better data for policy-making concerning abortion; HB 428 by Rep. Brett Geymann would prevent federal disaster funds alone from increasing ordinary state spending; HB 438 by Miguez would prevent abuse of public records requests; HB 487 by Rep. Michael Echols would amend the Constitution to give greater latitude in addressing budgetary shortfalls; HB 496 by Harris would extend financial disclosure requirements to judges; HB 542 by Rep. Beryl Amedee would secure fairness in school sports competition (similar bill: SB 156); HB 556 by DeVillier increases school choice options; HB 564 by Rep. Ray Garofalo would generally promote intellectual rigor in education; HB 575 by Rep. Gabe Firment would protect children’s health (similar bill: SB 104); HB 578 by Amedee would provide more information to women seeking abortions; HB 579 by Amedee would prevent government intrusion on bodily autonomy in health care decisions; HB 597 by Miguez would promote greater fairness in state government contracting; HB 612 by Rep. Richard Nelson would simplify and update sales taxation rates; HB 630 by Rep. Dodie Horton would make more accountable a quasi-independent state agency; HB 650 by Rep. Thomas Pressly would depoliticize and improve operations and regulation of river port pilots and steamship pilots; SB 1 by Sen. Barrow Peacock would siphon temporary sales tax money to roads (similar bill: SB 30); SB 4 by Sen. Ed Price would remove arbitrary limits on financing campaign speech; SB 8 by Peacock would end a needless tax break; SB 91 by Peacock would facilitate estate transfers; SB 115 by Peacock would provide for sensible gun control; SB 124 by Sen. Sharon Hewitt would require national anthem performance before athletic contests in venues constructed with public dollars; SB 137 by Sen. Kirk Talbot would make progress towards lowering long-term care costs while providing better services; SB 177 by Sen. Barry Milligan would amend the Constitution to create a more efficient sales tax collection system (similar bill: HB 199); SB 194 by Sen. Gerald Boudreaux extends the existing moratorium on increasing nursing home beds until 2027; SB 235 by Hewitt would establish closed primaries without runoff for parties with a non-trivial amount of registrations for congressional elections.