26 April 2009

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly -- Senate prefiled bills through Apr. 24, 2009

Finally, we have the remaining Senate prefiled bills to review before the session opens on Monday.

THE GOOD: (SB 59 has been withdrawn but essentially replaced by SB 203) SB 100 by Sen. Julie Quinn would remove the income restriction on the special assessment on property taxes that goes to the elderly (similar bills: SB 180, SB 181); SB 161 by Sen. Rob Marionneaux would alter a legal obstruction to allow parents of children not in public school to take advantage of legal deductions (similar bill: SB 163); SB 195 by Sen. Bob Kostelka would require larger contributors to candidates that received appointments to certain state positions to disclose their contributions; SB 223 by Sen. Dan Claitor would strengthen school discipline and create a better learning environment; SB 232 by Sen. Nick Gautreaux would eliminate over 10 years incomes taxes but delay a reduction every year that the state has a deficit forecast.

(Similar bills to those introduced: HB 327 – SB 141, SB 142, SB 200; HB 511 – SB 183; HB 844 – SB 186; HB 765 – SB 210; SB 1 – SB 267)

THE BAD: SB 101 by Sen. Troy Hebert would allow likely annual increases in the homestead exemption to further skew the burden onto fewer; SB 220 by Sen. J.P. Morrell would discriminate against Recovery School District students in New Orleans; SB 248 by Sen. Lydia Jackson would make parole easier to attain without justification; SB 256 by Sen. Edwin Murray could increase taxes on owners in New Orleans’ French Quarter of Fauborg Marigny; SB 259 by Kostelka would water down academic accountability standards by providing less rigorous curricula options for students (similar bill: SB 316); SB 295 by Gautreaux would socialize casualty risk through creation of a ratepayer-subsidized catastrophic fund; SB 314 by Sen. Robert Adley would strengthen individual political organizations at the expense of political parties by removing closed primaries from selecting federal congressional candidates.

(Similar bills to those introduced: HB 142 – SB 199, SB 245, SB 277; HB 802 – SB 283, SB 300; HB 795 – SB 286; HB 579 – SB 296: HB 610 – SB 311)

THE UGLY: SB 117, 118, and 119 by Sen. Dale Erdey would increase a slew of per diems for local, low-impact special districts; what’s so demanding about these positions?

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