28 June 2008

Legislative regular session through Jun. 28, 2008

THIS WEEK FOR THE GOOD: HB 321 was signed by the governor; HB 350 was signed by the governor; HB 622 was concurred in by the Senate and House and sent to the governor; SB 87 was signed by the governor; SB 733 was signed by the governor; SB 807 was signed by the governor; SB 808 was conferred in, concurred in by the House and Senate, and sent to the governor.

THIS WEEK FOR THE BAD: SB 351 was conferred in, concurred in by the Senate and the House, and sent tot the governor.

SCORECARD:
Total House introductions: 1389; total Senate introductions: 813.

Total House good bills: 41; total Senate good bills: 23.

Total House bad bills: 36; total Senate bad bills: 15.

Total House good bills heard in committee: 30; total Senate good bills heard in committee: 18

Total House bad bills heard in committee: 27; total Senate bad bills heard in committee: 10.

Total House good bills passing committee: 20; total Senate good bills passing committee: 12.

Total House bad bills passing committee: 7; total Senate bad bills passing committee: 8.

Total House good bills passing the House: 15; total Senate good bills passing the Senate: 7.

Total House bad bills passing the House: 4; total Senate bad bills passing the Senate: 4.

Total House good bills passing Senate committee: 9; total Senate good bills passing House committee: 7.

Total House bad bills passing Senate committee: 4; total Senate bad bills passing House committee: 4.

Total House good bills passing Senate: 9; total Senate good bills passing House: 6.

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

Total House good bills sent to the governor: 9; total Senate good bills sent to the governor: 5.

Total House bad bills sent to the governor: 2; total Senate bad bills sent to the governor: 2.

Total House good bills signed by the governor: 5; total Senate good bills signed by the governor: 5.

21 June 2008

Legislative regular session through Jun. 21, 2008

THIS WEEK FOR THE GOOD: HB 350 was sent to the governor; HB 622 passed House, with minor amendments passed Senate committee, and passed the Senate; HB 888 passed the Senate, the House concurred and was sent to the governor; HB 988 passed Senate and was sent to the governor; HB 1372 passed the Senate and was sent to the governor; SB 733 had amendments concurred with by the Senate and was sent to the governor; SB 808 passed the Senate.

THIS WEEK FOR THE BAD: HB 852 failed to pass the Senate; HB 939 passed the Senate and was sent to the governor; SB 351 passed the House; SB 672 had amendments concurred with by the Senate and was sent to the governor; SB 796 failed to pass the House.

SCORECARD:
Total House introductions: 1389; total Senate introductions: 813.

Total House good bills: 41; total Senate good bills: 23.

Total House bad bills: 36; total Senate bad bills: 15.

Total House good bills heard in committee: 30; total Senate good bills heard in committee: 18

Total House bad bills heard in committee: 27; total Senate bad bills heard in committee: 10.

Total House good bills passing committee: 20; total Senate good bills passing committee: 12.

Total House bad bills passing committee: 7; total Senate bad bills passing committee: 8.

Total House good bills passing the House: 15; total Senate good bills passing the Senate: 7.

Total House bad bills passing the House: 4; total Senate bad bills passing the Senate: 4.

Total House good bills passing Senate committee: 9; total Senate good bills passing House committee: 7.

Total House bad bills passing Senate committee: 4; total Senate bad bills passing House committee: 4.

Total House good bills passing Senate: 9; total Senate good bills passing House: 6.

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

Total House good bills sent to the governor: 8; total Senate good bills sent to the governor: 5.

Total House bad bills sent to the governor: 2; total Senate bad bills sent to the governor: 1.

Total House good bills signed into law: 3; total Senate good bills signed into law: 2.

20 June 2008

Floor action, Jun. 20: SB 402, SB 232, SB 233

DID YOU KNOW?
SB 402 by Sen. Bill Cassidy would have a study of shifting funds for uncompensated care among south Louisiana hospitals in proportion to the health care services provided for the uninsured statewide, starting next fiscal year. Rep. Neil Abramson at first prevented the matter from coming off the calendar by asking for such a vote which failed to move it 40-51. Minutes later, it successfully came off the calendar by a failed vote to table 43-53, but Abramson tried to table it, but the motion was defeated.

Rep. Erich Ponti, handling it, said this would better allocate resources to true needs. Rep. Joe Harrison offered amendments that were dumped out in committee that turned it into a study bill rather than implementation. Abramson asked whether these were challenging the will of the Health and Welfare Committee which he said otherwise would not have let it out. Harrison did not agree but said the amendment would bring a substantitve change. Rep. Hunter Greene then move to end all amendment consideration, and Rep. Jeff Arnold then made a substitute to end only this to which passed 60-35. Harrison yielded on close to Ponti who said a study only wouldn’t accomplish much, that a money-follows-the-person approach needed to be implemented for proper funding, and it wouldn’t even go into effect for several years only after the Legislature approved. The amendment failed 30-68.

Abramson then offered amendments. He characterized the bill at present as a fight over dollars between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, saying why New Orleans seemed to get disproportionate dollars because much more teaching went on there. So, he wanted to incrementally add sections of the state through each amendment so he could allow everybody to gang up on each section just like the bill does, but then withdrew them all, believing a point had been made.

Rep. Robert Johnson said the bill was mischaracterized, saying it followed the proportion of uninsured people living in a region, not ailing individuals. He said to vote for it now would invite future raids on other regions. He said the mix of the kind of operations also was not going to be worked into the proposed formula, either. He implied the author of was using it for political gain relevant to Cassidy’s announced run for Congress.

Rep. Pat Smith said Earl K. Long Hospital since it was able to attract more insured that it was being used as a cash cow to supplement other institutions. She said teaching occurred there, as well. Rep. Michael Jackson admitted he was running for Congress, and said he thought this process was good as a study which, after being done in three regions, could be extended because he did not want it to be there to beat up on New Orleans.

Closing, Ponti emphasized this was only a study, and wondered why some seemed scared of a study. He said Baton Rouge actually was less maldistributed than some other southern regions, and the northern part of the state operated under a different system not relevant to the south. He said then population shift from the hurricane disasters made this study more necessary than ever.

The bill, after establishment of lockout and quorum, failed 35-61.

DID YOU KNOW?
SB 232 by Sen. Willie Mount would place term limits on several boards and commissions of three years by constitutional amendemt. Handler Rep. Rick Gallot said if legislators had to be stopped at three terms (really, two-and-a-half), so should the education boards, State Civil Service Commission, Public Service Commission, etc. He also pointed out a two-year waiting period applied after being limited off one board to serve on another.

Rep. Cedric Richmond asked why leave out state elected officials; Gallot said it was Mount’s intent not to include them. Johnson wondered whether this limited discretion of voters, and Gallot said this was true but some to be affected would be appointed.

Rep. Rickey Hardy offered an amendment that would apply limits to judges, district attorneys, and sheriffs, with a grandfather clause. Rep. Cameron Henry asked if Hardy had consulted those being affected; he said he had not. Rep. Bodi White wondered why other parish-level officials weren’t included; Hardy said because he hadn’t thought of that. Rep. Nick Lorusso asked whether it was germane, and Speaker Jim Tucker ruled it didn’t since the bill addressed boards and commissions.

Gallot closed and the bill passed 92-8.

DID YOU KNOW?
With SB 232 passed, now the enabling legislation became relevant. Gallot offered the identical amendments which were adopted. The bill passed 93-6.

QUOTE OF THE DAY.
Is this amendment germane to the bill?
Yes it is.
Hardy to Lorusso, before Tucker could say anything.

19 June 2008

Floor action, Jun. 19: SB 137, SB 159, SB 342, SB 808

DID YOU KNOW?
SB 137 by Sen. Julie Quinn would make a secondary offense for those who either are text messaging or, if you are a driver with less than a year of licensing, using a cell phone while driving. Handler Rep. Hollis Downs said this would improve safety without having distractions from all drivers and especially new drivers.

Rep. Austin Badon, however, offered an amendment to turn this bill essentially into his HB 852 which banned non-hands-free use of cell phones for all and passed the House. To make matters more interesting, Rep. Walker Hines tried to hook an amendment on to raise his non-smoking stricture in cars if there were 15 year-olds in it (as opposed to the currenbt 13-year-old standard), trying in essence to amend on his bill (to remind him as he could not remember what it was, it was HB 1021) on the subject that failed in the Senate. Its germaneness was challenged by Rep. Mert Smiley but upheld on the basis that it was another driver distraction.

Rep. Jeff Arnold said he could not support the bill especially with Badon’s amendment. He said even operating a GPS device could run afoul of this law. Arnold also chided Hines for his continued tries at passing this bill even after several defeats. With Hines implying his previous bill lost on several occasions because of a lack of members, a lockout and quorum call both were made and the latter was established. The amendment failed 34-56.

Badon then addressed his amendment, saying if it was good enough to be passed on its own, it ought to be good enough for an amendment. Arnold reminded Badon that HB 852 was defeated handily in the Senate, and thought it might be hurting SB 137 to be attached. Rep. Tony Ligi said that the bill might not stem the tendency for multitasking. Badon replied the act isolated was not good regardless of other distractions which may or may not occur as a result of a cell phone’s use.

Badon closed saying this should not be just a “kid’s bill” and that his amendment would make sure it is done right the first time. The amendment failed 33-49. The bill unamended from the floor passed 69-19.

DID YOU KNOW?
Since SB 159 by Sen. Don Cravins wpould prohibit minors from using any wireless telecommunications device while operating a motor vehicle which almost mimicked SB 137, there was no debate and it passed 88-4.

DID YOU KNOW?
SB 342 by Sen. Dale Erdey would prohibit first-year drivers from using cell phones. With it being so similar to SB 137 and SB 159, it passed 88-6.

DID YOU KNOW?
SB 808 by Sen. Rob Marionneaux would redo the way the state deals with its capital outlay budget. Speaker Jim Tucker pointed out it was essentially a duplicate of his HB 582 passed out of the House days earlier. It clarifies the process, he said, and it passed 93-0.

16 June 2008

Floor action, Jun. 16: SB 789, SB 796

DID YOU KNOW?
SB 789 was to apply to boards and commissions for certain highway commissions in rural areas (designed for Iberia Parish). Rep Patrick Connick asked to introduce an amendment dealing with the Crescent City Connection. Rep. Jeff Arnold asked whether it was germane, and Speaker Jim Tucker ruled it wasn’t. Connick complained and asked for a vote on the ruling. Tucker called him aside and reminded him these motions were rare and never successful. Disgruntled, Connick asked for personal privilege and Tucker said only asfter the bill passed. “We’ve got three more years; I’ll be back” Connick said, withdrew, and the bill passed without it.

DID YOU KNOW?
SB 796 would remove debt supported by a taxpayer-dedicated revenue stream to be counted as debt for calculation purposes. Rep. Karen Carter Peterson asked why do this? Handler Rep. Chris Hazel stumbled through an explanation that he thought it would improve the state’s bond rating. Peterson wondered whether it ought to be returned to the calendar but then relinquished her questioning.

Tucker, who had left the chair at the beginning of the questioning, took the microphone, absolved Hazel for being a “good soldier” carrying the water for author Sen. Joe McPherson and called it a “very bad bill.” Tucker explained the basis of the bill, the money borrowed for the TIMED program being affected, and said this was not good budgetary or fiscal policy and that rating agencies would not change their ratings as a result of this and thought they would think it would make Louisiana less trustworthy.

Peterson said she had not gotten a note from the Gov. Bobby Jindal administration and asked what it thought. Tucker said he hadn’t, either, so he didn’t know what it thought. Other members got Tucker to repeat that it reflected poorly on the state’s reputation.

Hazel on closing repeated it would create no new debt. The bill was defeated 3-84 with only the representatives from McPherson’s district voting for it.

QUOTES OF THE DAY:
We all have been concerned about Mr. Fannin’s mental state and its changing over the next ten days.
Tucker, referring to Rep. Jim Fannin, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee who controls the pursestrings.

Members, I want to clarify, that was not a new record, he was handling a Senate bill
Tucker, referring to the 3-84 vote on SB 796 referring to a record for lopsided defeat – last year Rep. John LaBruzzo lost even more spectacularly on his own bill.

14 June 2008

Legislative regular session through Jun. 14, 2008

THIS WEEK FOR THE GOOD: HB 321 was sent to the governor; HB 350 passed the Senate; HB 734 passed the House, with minor amendments passed Senate committee; HB 790 was signed by the governor; HB 888 passed Senate committee; HB 960 was signed by the governor; HB 988 passed Senate committee; HB 1122 was signed by the governor; HB 1372 passed Senate committee; SB 87 was concurred in by the House and sent to the governor; SB 133 was signed by the governor; SB 167 was signed by the governor; SB 733 passed the House; SB 807 passed the House and was concurred in by the Senate; SB 808 with minor amendments passed House committee.

THIS WEEK FOR THE BAD: HB 1198 passed the Senate; SB 351 passed House committee; SB 653 was discharged from House committee; SB 672 passed the Senate, passed House committee, and with minor amendments passed the House.

SCORECARD:
Total House introductions: 1387; total Senate introductions: 813.

Total House good bills: 41; total Senate good bills: 23.

Total House bad bills: 36; total Senate bad bills: 15.

Total House good bills heard in committee: 30; total Senate good bills heard in committee: 18

Total House bad bills heard in committee: 27; total Senate bad bills heard in committee: 10.

Total House good bills passing committee: 20; total Senate good bills passing committee: 12.

Total House bad bills passing committee: 7; total Senate bad bills passing committee: 8.

Total House good bills passing the House: 15; total Senate good bills passing the Senate: 7.

Total House bad bills passing the House: 4; total Senate bad bills passing the Senate: 4.

Total House good bills passing Senate committee: 8; total Senate good bills passing House committee: 7.

Total House bad bills passing Senate committee: 4; total Senate bad bills passing House committee: 4.

Total House good bills passing Senate: 5; total Senate good bills passing House: 5.

Total House bad bills passing Senate: 1; total Senate bad bills passing House: 1.

Total House good bills sent to the governor: 4; total Senate good bills sent to the governor: 4.

Total House bad bills sent to the governor: 1; total Senate bad bills sent to the governor: 0.

Total House good bills signed into law: 3; total Senate good bills signed into law: 2.

11 June 2008

Committee action, Jun. 11: SB 672, SB 232, SB 233, HB 1372, HB 988

DID YOU KNOW?
SB 672 would give a nice pay raise to legislators. Author Sen. Ann Duplessis gave little explanation since everybody knew what it was, reminding it had been amended further just to apply a salary increase, not that of supplements. House and Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Rick Gallot moved for adoption, saying he’d hope votes would be forthcoming to at least get it to the floor for discussion. He got it, with Reps. Connick, Cromer, Ellington, Geymann, Henry, Jackson, Jones, Ligi, Marchand, Pugh, Ponti, Smiley, and himself voting in favor, while Barras, Danahay, Richard, and Smith voted against.

DID YOU KNOW?
SB 232 and SB 233 would place term limits on members of board and commissioners. Author Sen. Willie Mount explained SB 232 (a constitutional amendment) and welcomed amendments proposed last week defining the boards to be covered and that it would start the three-term limit clock on Aug. 15, for appointed positions only. They were adopted without objection, and the bill was adopted without objection.

SB 233, the enabling legislation, also was amended similarly and adopted without objection, and adopted without objection.

DID YOU KNOW?
HB 1372 is Rep. Mert Smiley’s annual exercise in ridding the state of boards and commissions that don’t seem to provide a whole lot. Smiley said the Legislative Auditor and legislative staff finds out some basic information about all of them and if they aren’t active, he puts them in the bill. Without any debate, it was reported favorably by the Senate and Governmental Affairs Committee.

DID YOU KNOW?
HB 988 by Rep. Wayne Waddell would prohibit allowing a legislator’s district offices to be leased from the legislator or his family. Without discussion, it was reported favotably without objection.

QUOTES OF THE DAY:
Let’s say that Sen. John … John Doe, I wanted to say Smith but he’s right here.
Rep. Nita Hutter in explaining her HB 906 which addresses anonymous ethics complaints, trying to come up with a hypothetical example of an ethics complaint.

I tell my constituents that there are 1.2 million John Smiths in the United States … and that number doubles on Saturday nights.
Sen. John Smith.

10 June 2008

Committee action, Jun. 10: SB 718, SB 204, SB 106

DID YOU KNOW?
SB 718 would remove the imposition of financial disclosure requirements similar to those that have to be followed by elected officials on members of boards and commissions (both statewide and those of political subdivisions). Author Sen. Danny Martiny’s bill intended for most that only places of residence of mailing address and that of work be revealed, along with sufficiently large business interests, and that members pledge for themselves and their families that they know of no conflicts of interests pertaining to their actions. Martiny suggested an amendment be made to make a pledge of recusal if a conflict did occur in service. For some, additional information would be required. He said this would redress an overzealous approach pursued during the ethics special session.

Amendments were offered that moved certain boards and commissions around from old to new categories and vice-versa.

Rep. Mert Smiley said he had received no calls about the issue and wondered whether the legislation was needed. Martiny said it was, because the theory was why be so intrusive in a global sense when concerns about specific individuals can be addressed specifically. He said he had heard from some constituents who were upset and that many others could be when they learn of the recently-passed requirements. Smiley, however, argued that one can always find good people to serve on boards even with the current requirements. Martiny said the imprecise categorization was not good. Smiley said the Legislature had done exactly what constituents had wanted.

Rep. Patrick Connick, on behalf of the Department of State, offered an amendment that would excise advisory museum board members and retirement system board members by putting disclosure requirements on only bodies that handled public dollars. However, the Ethics Board is planning to rule on whether these kinds of appointees would be counted under the new requirements, so it might be mooted. Rep. Karen Carter Peterson offered language that would define the new tier as having control of less than $10,000 a year, and later came back with new language that would supplant Connick’s. Rep. Rosalind Jones noted required reporting may actually increase since the new category expanded the number of boards covered, although House and Governmental Affairs chairman Rick Gallot said the House in other instruments already gone approving in that direction.

Amendments finally consolidated, Gallot proposed a vote on them but Rep. Dee Richard wanted to move the State Civil Service Commission into the higher tier. Gallot said it was better addressed separately and they went for the vote on all of the others, adopted without objection. Richard’s was then adopted without objection. Connick then wanted a couple of specific personnel shifts, and was adopted without objection.

Peterson then spoke on the bill. She complained the Legislature got bullied into making ethics changes and some mistakes were made, and felt put on that the Gov. Bobby Jindal Administration wouldn’t admit that. However, she said she didn’t see need for a lot of changes on this account but that a blanket approach neither was good. Martiny said he welcomed amendments if it helped pass the bill.

Rep. Jane Smith joined the complaint parade, saying she thought the bill was needed because you could not get as good people to serve with the current regulations, and she was tired that any attempt to change them was said to be “watering down.” Smiley spoke, saying correction was an ongoing process but that the initial changes accomplished an incredible amount of beneficial change and other complaints often forgot that.

Jindal’s Executive Counsel Jimmy Faircloth voiced support of the bill, but said there were no apologies for what was achieved in the special session, even if imperfect, and characterized as inaccurate any assertion that it discouraged any challenges to its language in these bills.

Peterson moved favorably as amended, and it was done without objection.

DID YOU KNOW?
SB 204 would make official journals printers for the state and political subdivisions put the information they commit to publish on behalf of these governments on the Internet, and would increase the maximum amount to be charged by this of 10 percent. Author Sen. Mike Walsworth first asked for an amendment that would force obituaries to be free that got put on the Senate floor to be removed, and it was without objection. Proponents argued a permanent printed record was necessary, and that newspapers provided a ready way by which to do this. Walsworth also argued that this would consolidate all journal aspects of a government in a single space for convenience of the public.

Smiley was encouraged when testimony revealed community newspaper tended to print obituaries for free anyway, and it excited him to move for passage. Without objection, it was.

DID YOU KNOW?
SB 106 by Sen. Blade Morrish would put into law requirements that nongovernmental entities report information if they receive state budget funds. Morrish said it was important to put them in law because rules can be so easily overridden by the chambers.

Gallot moved to defer, because he said leaving in chamber rules led to more flexibility, but a substitute was offered to counter that. On the latter, Danahay, Henry, Ligi, Ponti, Pugh, Richard, and Smiley voted in favor while Barras, Connick, Cromer, Jackson, Jones, Peterson, and Gallot voted against. A tie means failure, so the committee without objection delivered the coup d’grace with Gallot’s motion.

QUOTE OF THE DAY:
Where I grew up, “transparency” wasn’t a compliment.
Martiny.

WEDNESDAY: HB 988 and HB 1372 are scheduled to be heard in the Senate and Governmental Affairs Committee.

07 June 2008

Legislative regular session through Jun. 7, 2008

THIS WEEK FOR THE GOOD: HB 321 passed Senate committee and the Senate; HB 582 with minor amendments passed committee and with minor amendments passed the House; HB 734 with minor amendments failed to pass the House; HB 790 was sent to the governor; HB 960 was sent to the governor; HB 1122 passed the Senate; SB 87 with minot amendments passed the House; SB 167 passed the House and was sent to the governor; SB 807 was discharged from House committee

THIS WEEK FOR THE BAD: HB 852 passed Senate committee; HB 1198 passed Senate committee; SB 796 passed House committee.

SCORECARD:
Total House introductions: 1387; total Senate introductions: 813.

Total House good bills: 41; total Senate good bills: 23.

Total House bad bills: 36; total Senate bad bills: 15.

Total House good bills heard in committee: 29; total Senate good bills heard in committee: 18

Total House bad bills heard in committee: 27; total Senate bad bills heard in committee: 10.

Total House good bills passing committee: 19; total Senate good bills passing committee: 12.

Total House bad bills passing committee: 7; total Senate bad bills passing committee: 8.

Total House good bills passing the House: 13; total Senate good bills passing the Senate: 7.

Total House bad bills passing the House: 4; total Senate bad bills passing the Senate: 3.

Total House good bills passing Senate committee: 4; total Senate good bills passing House committee: 6.

Total House bad bills passing Senate committee: 4; total Senate good bills passing House committee: 1.

Total House good bills passing Senate: 3; total Senate good bills passing House: 3.

Total House good bills sent to the governor: 2; total Senate good bills sent to the governor: 2

MONDAY: SB 808 is scheduled to be heard in the House Appropriations Committee.

03 June 2008

Floor action, Jun. 3: HB 340, HB 939, HB 1224, HB 1273, HB 1341

DID YOU KNOW?
HB 340 would require correction facilities wardens to meet the same ethics reporting qualifications as senior exeutive branch officials. Handling the bill after initially skipping it on the calendar, Sen. Don Cravins argued the powers that wardens had concerning contracting and budgeting and other matters made it logical that these officials fill out these kinds of reports.

Sen. Bill Cassidy offered an amendment to remove information required from wardens that could identify where they live, which was accepted without objection. Sen. Ben Nevers said the wardens’ boss already had to report and that should be good enough, while Sen. John Alario argued even with the Cassidy amendment that he still had concerns about the safety of wardens’ families. Cravins then consented to send the bill back to the calendar to work out amendments that might save a bill that appeared to be in trouble.

After a brief interval, more amendments came from Cassidy that would not disclose the spouse’s place of employ which were adopted without objection. Alario still was not satisfied and asked for a deferral of the bill. Sen. Mike Walsworth said these were civil servants who really did not depend on politics for their appointments and thus should not need to be covered by ethics requriemetns designed for political appointees.

Closing, Cravins said he believed in the bill and trusted the House supporters behind it. He claimed they are not typical state employees. He allowed Sen. Buddy Shaw to speak who said if reuirements were good enough for judges, it was good enough for wardens. The bill failed 7-26, but Cravins gave notice for reconsideration.

DID YOU KNOW?
HB 939 would increase the salaries of members of the Public Service Commission. Amid laughter, it was returned to the calendar.

DID YOU KNOW?
HB 1224 would place a moratorium on new home- and community-based service providers for two years, except for those that are part of residential facilities in certain low-serviced areas. It passed 38-0.

DID YOU KNOW?
HB 1273 would have the state study cost-control mechanisms and promulgate rules to accomplish this for most Medicaid waiver programs. Input would be required from stakeholders including families being served. Alario asked handler Sen. Willie Mount about the bill’s language affirming that costs must be lowered might have an adverse impact on the quality of care. Alario also was concerned that the process had too little public and legislative input in the process, and in conjunction with a reduction of state developmental centers these seemed to be at loggerheads. Mount suggested amendments to resolve these.

Sen. Joe McPherson asked from where the bill came, and about the status of the state’s implementation of the Barthelemy case. Mount didn’t know, and McPherson wondered about how this bill was compatible with the case’s settlement which demands more provision of these waiver slots. Mount said implementation of uniform standards might make it a better process that might spend wisely and fulfill individual’s needs.

Alario sent up an amendment which would give the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget to approve any rules adopted by the state, to safeguard needs of those affected. It was adopted without objection.

Mount added on closing a report on implementation of Barthelemy was forthcoming in June. The bill passed 37-0.

DID YOU KNOW?
HB 1341 would install uniform minimum qualifications that would allow caregivers to serve under state waiver programs only if the state would issue a waiver that determines the family member would be the best person to serve the disabled individual, but grandfathers in exsiting family workers Alario asked to amend to push the effective date back to 2009. McPherson thought the amendment irrelevant if because of the grandfather provision and in fact by pushing the effective date forward six months would allow too many exceptions, and that it could allow unscrupulous relatives to slip into the exemption. Alario thought existing laws should take care of those unscrupulous people. McPherson argued that supervision of non-institutionalized care was lax so this could be a significant problem, and said since it was an administration bill he had to object. The amendment failed 13-18. The bill then passed 36-0.

QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“This bill increases the number of riverboats in the state to 45 and 5 machines each … y’all paying attention yet? I’ve passed a lot of bad stuff out of here today.”
Sen. Danny Martiny, joking during his presnetation of HB 1131 which would provide alternative ways of inspecting gaming riverboats.

WEDNESDAY: HB 988 and HB 1198 are scheduled to be heard by the Senate and Governmental Affairs Committee.

02 June 2008

Committee action, Jun. 2: HB 703, HB 709, SB 796

DID YOU KNOW?
HB 703 would amend the Constitution to take a quarter of funds above the ceiling established for mineral revenues and instead of sending it to the Budget Stablization Fund send it to coastal restoration fund. Author Rep. Damon Baldone said little money was going to come from the federal government for years so this would get the restoration process much more quickly.

House Appropriations Committee chairman Rep. Jim Fannin cautioned this would be a diversion of funds around $300 million from the latest surplus and hamstring it to this purpose. Rep. Joe Harrison argued the coastal part of the state contributed much to the state and that this would be good legislation to preserve it. But Rep. Mert Smiley said the state had many needs and needed the flexibility, plus it had shown sufficient commitment with previous actions and legislation.

Baldone then asked to defer this bill, cautioning this needed to be addressed and the state needed to put its money where its mouth is on the issue. He then brought forward HB 709 which would not take a quarter off of a top but would after the $750 million ceiling put into the Fund. He pointed out this was less onerous on revenues but also asked for its deferral.

DID YOU KNOW?
SB 796 would change the way the state’s debt ceiling debt is computed by removing from its calculation dedicated revenues to paying off debt, which practically speaking would exempt expenditures for the TIMED program. Author Sen. Joe McPherson told the House Ways and Means Committee that while on a yearly basis it didn’t take up much bonding power (particularly because it has an offsetting revenue stream included), it made statistics in terms of per capita debt look higher than what McPherson called “accurate,” leading to explotation by what he termed “irresponsible reporters.” It would cut the per capita figure by half.

Chairman Rep. Hunter Greene wondered by “debt was being excluded from debt.” McPherson said it was ability to repay that was important, not the total amount. Greene said this was supported by tax dollars just like any other debt, and compared the semantics used by McPherson to “gaming” vs. “gambling.” McPherson said the change would force the media and some politicians from exploiting the issue and over time this debt was going to increase because of the TIMED program that would make it look even “worse.” Greene felt his testimony alone performed a good educative function, and maybe statistics ought to be reported to reflect that.

Rep. Cameron Henry wondered whether this was a way to allow more debt than what is currently intended, which could lower the bond rating of the state. McPherson said the marginal nature of it he wouldn’t think would do that.

Rep. Joel Robideaux queried why the bill’s information was on different colored paper. He also asked whether future statewide dedicated debt approved by voters would fit into this new category that is excluded, and McPherson said it would. Rep. Harold Ritchie said he would like to see an amendment on the revenue side that would parcel out money coming from state sources and from federal sources, but did not offer anything.

When the time came for it to move, Greene said it would increase capacity for debt and he was opposed that, and also the media would pick up on this. The bill passed 8-6 with Reps. Carter, Danahay, Guillory, Honey, Perry, Richard, Ritchie, and Robideaux in favor, while Baldone, Burrell, Henry, Hoffman, Smith, and Greene were against.

QUOTES OF THE DAY:
“I’ve spent an entire career wearing out blue jeans’ knees trying to borrow money from banks.”
McPherson.

TUESDAY: HB 1357 is scheduled to be heard by the Senate Judiciary B Committee.