state legislature

Some State Senators Puzzled By Tax Amnesty Solution

Kelly Connelly — Fri, 17 May 2013 14:34:00 +0000

In the Finance committee Thursday Senators questioned the way the House filled the hole it dug in the proposed budget for next year. The House took out one-time money, from selling state property, court settlements, and dedicated funds, and put in a tax amnesty program.

The Legislative Fiscal Office usually considers tax amnesty revenues to be one-time money too.

School Voucher Funding Up In The Air

Kelly Connelly — Thu, 16 May 2013 14:32:00 +0000

Hundreds of parents, children, teachers and administrators rallied on the steps of the Capitol calling on lawmakers to find a new way to fund private school vouchers, chanting "You promised/ to put kids first."

The old way to fund vouchers was ruled unconstitutional by the State Supreme Court last week because it routed money through a formula -- called the MFP -- that is dedicated to public schools.

Firearms Manufacturing Bill Advances In State Senate

Ashley Westerman — Tue, 14 May 2013 16:38:00 +0000

A bill that would allow gun buyers and sellers to circumvent any federal firearm ban if a gun is manufactured in-state has advanced in the Senate.

La. Hospital Privitization Costs Still Foggy After Auditor's Report

Kelly Connelly — Tue, 14 May 2013 13:41:00 +0000

Lawmakers that have fought the Administration for more power in the process of privatizing the state’s charity hospitals may get their wish as they consider funding for the cost of laying off hospital workers.

According to a report by the state auditor’s office, the privatization will cost the state 42 million dollar in leave payouts and unemployment payments.

Card-Carrying Cajuns? Louisiana Lawmakers Weigh ID Change

Bill Chappell — Mon, 13 May 2013 21:17:59 +0000

A bill making its way through the Louisiana Legislature would let Cajun citizens celebrate their ancestry by customizing their driver's license, adding the phrase "I'm a Cajun" below their photograph.

It would cost $5 to add the message; the money would go toward "scholarships distributed by the Council for the Development of French in Louisiana, a program promoting French language and culture in the state," reports NOLA.com.

The Senate has already With a one-vote margin, a bill that would force Louisiana to accept federal Medicaid Expansion advanced through the House Health and Welfare Committee Wednesday.

Governor Bobby Jindal has opposed the Expansion, claiming it would be too expensive and that the federal program doesn’t meet Louisiana’s needs.

Gun Legislation To Protect Concealed Permit Holders' Information Advances

Ashley Westerman — Tue, 07 May 2013 17:48:00 +0000

A law seeking to criminalize the release of any information about concealed handgun permit holders was advanced in the Senate on Tuesday.

Interviews: Louisiana Department of Revenue's Douglas Baker

Jim Engster — Tue, 07 May 2013 16:34:00 +0000

Comedienne, author and colorectal cancer survivor Brenda Elsagher, who'll speak tonight at the Pennington Center.

Jim talks with Douglas Baker, from the Louisiana Department of Revenue, about the schism between lawmakers and the Governor over use of one-time money to balance the state budget, and recent legislation to reduce tax breaks for businesses to make up that imbalance.

New Orleans area bankruptcy lawyer Bill Cherbonnier, who is opposed to House Bill 567, by Baton Rouge Rep. Erich Ponti. It would repeal the state's ban on for-profit debt adjusters.

Lawmakers Use Budget Negotiations to Assert Independence

Kelly Connelly — Tue, 07 May 2013 12:22:00 +0000

The legislature’s bipartisan budget negotiations have yielded a late-night preliminary deal, struck after the legislature closed up shop on Monday. The plan will cut tax exemptions and reduce spending to curb the state's dependency on one-time funds.

The deal includes cutting tax exemptions by 15 percent across the board. That will free up $329 million, enough to replace a large chunk of the half a billion in one-time funds in next year’s budget.