Article archive / March 1, 2016
Originally published: . Volume 7, No. 3. Source pages: 1, 3.
Still Working on $1.9 Billion Deficit Reg Session Begins on 14th
Legislators are plugging through a host of bills the floor aimed at somehow staving off the most dire possibilities in budget cuts, as the special session debates reach the decision points before adjourning on March 9.
Among bills to be considered currently is measure which would levy additional tax on cigarettes, a repeal of certain corporate income tax deductions, an increase on excise tax for certain alcoholic beverages, a change to middle and upper income tax brackets for calculating individual income tax, and a measure, HB61 to dedicate tax proceeds to the Stability in Higher Education Fund.
Pending final passage are measures to add a one-cent sales and use tax (HB62), to increase sales tax on telecommunications services (HB72), and to repeal of the deduction for federal income taxes on state returns.
A measure to review certain state contracts and identify those that can be discontinued and report the results of a review to the Budget Committee today was previously passed.
The special session, called by the Governor, must end by March 9. The regular session then convenes on March 14.
The regular session of the Legislature begins on March 14, addressing the continued problems of the state, following the financial decisions now being considered in the special session. Some of the bills filed include the following:
The lawmakers will consider HB152, which would create the La. Postsecondary Education Board of Trustees as a single governing board for public postsecondary education and abolish the Board of Regents and the management boards of the postsecondary education systems, and transfer all work to the new Board of Trustees. Currently there are the Board of Regents, Board of Supervisors for the various University systems, and a board of for Community and Technical Colleges.
HB75 would require a 15 percent reduction in all state professional, personal, and consulting service contracts.
HB 104 would require a student to repay TOPS award amounts if he fails to meet the requirements for maintaining eligibility or fails to complete his academic degree or skill/occupational training within certain specified time frames.
HB75, would require all public school teachers (including charter schools) and teachers of scholarship (voucher) recipients in nonpublic schools participating in the voucher program to take the state assessments aligned to the state content standards prior to administering such assessments to students.
HB102 and HB101 address theater safety. HB102 creates the crime of possession of a firearm or dangerous weapon on the premises of a motion picture theater, and HB101 would create the crime of operation of an unsafe motion picture theater.
HB 151 would prohibit local governments and state agencies from developing sanctuary policies that assist illegal aliens in evading U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Laws.
HB94 would allow for the use of nonhuman primates as service animals.
HB 103 would eliminate nomination by legislators of students for free tuition to Tulane University and granting of such free tuition.
HB61 would authorize retirees of the Teachers' Retirement System of La. (TRSL) to return to work as a school psychologist in a critical shortage area without reduction of retirement benefits.
Two measures would strengthen open meetings laws. HB 81 would require Requires each public body that has a custodian of public records to make the identity and contact information of the custodian available to the public.
And, HB162 will prohibit members of certain public bodies from engaging in communication with a quorum of the members of the public body unless such communication is contemporaneously visible or audible to the public.
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