News updates from around the state.

News Briefs for June 3, 2008

• McCain to speak in Kenner, LA.
• In Louisiana, Inklings of a New (True) Champion of the Right.
• Obama Clinches Nomination
• House Passes Noose Display Bill
• Legislative Briefs for June 3, 2008

Legislative regular session through May 31, 2008

Activities of the 2008 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature for the week ending May 31, 2008.

Floor action, May 27: HCR 34, HCR 100

Activities of the 2008 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature for May 27, 2008.

Legislative regular session through May 24, 2008

Activities of the 2008 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature through May 24, 2008.

Committee action, May 21: HB 790, HB 446, HB 960, HB 911

Actions of the 2008 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature.

Rhode Island’s Proud of Cazayoux

There must not have been any qualified job candidates from Louisiana, because Don Cazayoux has decided to hire his campaign manager, who he imported from Rhode Island.

Committee and floor action, May 19: SB 108, HB 321, HB 350

Activities of the 2008 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature for May 19, 2008.

Legislative regular session through May 17, 2008

Activity of the 2008 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature through May 17, 2008.

Committee action, May 13: HCR 112, HB 923, HB 987

Committee action of the 2008 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature.

Committee action, May 12: SB 796, SB 106, SB 672

Committee action of the 2008 regular session of the Louisiana Legislature for May 12, 2008.

Legislative regular session through May 10, 2008

Activities of the 2008 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature through May 10, 2008.

Committee action, May 6: SB 807, SB 224, SB 232, SB 233, HB 1022

Committee action from the 2008 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature for May 6, 2008.

Committee action, May 5: SB 527, SB 1, SB 672, SB 772

Committee action from the 2008 regular session of the Louisiana Legislature for May 5, 2008.

Legislative regular session through May 3, 2008

Acitivities of the 2008 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature through May 3, 2008.

Committee action, Apr. 28: SB 199

Committee action of the 2008 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature.

Legislative regular session through Apr. 26, 2008

The week's events of the 2008 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature.

Committee action, Apr. 23: SB 167, SB 134, SB 135, HB 924

Committee action of the 2008 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legisalture.

We Need More than Ethics Reform

Tuesday, April 22, 2008 Baton Rouge, Louisiana PERCEPTION AND SUBSTANCE ETHICS AND INDIA The Louisiana legislature recently completed its first special session under newly elect Governor Bobby Jindal, and is in the middle of its regular yearly gathering. “We batted a thousand and set the gold standard when it comes to ethics,” ballyhooed Bobby Jindal. It was more like a double rather a home run, but there is little doubt that the Jindal team is off to a good start. Despite all the good government group claims that the public was up in arms and deeply enmeshed in the minutiae of the various ethical reforms proposed, what took place was a more general effort to deal with perception. The average voter was not so agitated about amounts of disclosure or spending, but was more concerned with moving from self interest to public interest. The new Governor can justifiably declare victory. But he needs to remember that any new rules of ethics involving public officials are only a part of the “procedure” of running government. The.rules of how you play the game. New ethics laws give the Jindal gang a foundation on which to build their legislative agenda. But in the final analysis, results will be measured by success in national rankings on job growth, educational reform, affordable health care, and a host of other “substantive” issues that need to be the focus of the coming months in the state capitol. That’s not to undercut the new governor’s efforts of emphasizing ethics reform in his first time at bat. It’s a motherhood issue. Who among us is in favor of lobbyists showering fancy meals and footballs tickets on those who govern us? It was a smart way for the new the Governor to get off to a good start. Most of the new legislation passed with little or no opposition. So now it is time to get into the meat of governmental change that can produce substantial results. Here’s the problem. Any major reforms take time to bear significant results. Education, health care, job development all need years once major restructuring is put into place. Any new governor has to be careful of surrounding himself with people who believe change occurs in a moment of magic instead of a slow process of improvement. So what can Jindal do in the short term that can benefit Louisiana? Let me suggest he start with his unique strength…his Indian heritage. Anyone taking the time to monitor the world’s newspapers in recent months will have seen news articles galore discussing and analyzing how a deep southern state could elected a young Indian American as its new governor. Jindal’s victory has been the front-page story week after week in newspapers throughout India. So, you ask, what’s so important about India? Simply put, it has become the fastest growing economy in the world. The investment firm of Goldman Sachs recently released a study indicating that the Indian economy could well surpass that of the United States by the year 2043. Did you know that 28% of the population in India with the highest IQs it is greater than the total population of North America? Translation…… they have more honors kids than we have kids. India is now rivaling China as the number one English speaking country in the world. If you took every single job in the US today and shipped it to India…India would still have a labor surplus. And how about this? In the next 8 minutes, 60 babies will be born in the U.S. 351 babies will be born in India. The bottom line is that Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal has become an overnight rock star with overwhelming recognition and respect throughout the fastest growing economy in the world. It shouldn’t take rocket science to figure out that Louisiana, under Jindal’s leadership, could grab a golden, once in a lifetime opportunity, to develop a strong business relationship that could prove to be bountifully beneficial to Louisiana’s future economic growth. So Governor, bask in the glow of good press over your victory in bringing about the valid perception of significant ethics reform. But then begin a master plan to develop a special state relationship that only you can uniquely undertake. With an economic giant that could really be your homerun to point to when re election time rolls around. *********** “Most successful politicians have not achieved their distinction by having some new talent or opportunity presented to them. They have developed the opportunity that was at hand.” Bruce Marton quotes Peace and Justice. Jim Brown Jim Brown’s weekly column appears in a number of newspapers throughout the State of Louisiana. You can read Jim’s Blog, and take his weekly poll, plus read his columns going back to the fall of 2002 by going to his own website at http://www.jimbrownla.com. Jim’s radio show on 995 fm from New Orleans continues each Sunday from 11:00 am until 1:00 pm, WRNO Radio.

Committee and floor action, Apr. 21: SB 87, HB 622, HB 852

Committee and floor activities of the 2008 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature for Apr. 21, 2008.

Legislative regular session through Apr. 19, 2008

Review of the week's activities of the 2008 regualr session of the Louisiana Legisalture.

Floor action, Apr. 15: HB 106, SB 61

Floor action of the 2008 regular session of the Louisiana Legisalture.

Committee action, Apr. 14: HB 622, HB 407, SB 653

Committee action of the 2008 regular session of the Louisiana Legislature.

Legislative regular session through Apr. 12, 2008

This week in the 2008 Regular session of the Louisiana Legisalture.

Committee action, Apr. 7: SB 207, 328

Committee action of the 2008 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature for Apr. 7, 2008.

Legislative regular session through Apr. 5, 2008

Louisiana Legislature action through Apr. 5, 2008.

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly—Prefiled bills through Mar. 29, 2008

Summary of prefiled bills for the 2008 Regular Session of the Louisiana State Legislature through Mar. 29, 2008.

Legislative special session through Mar. 15, 2008

Activities of the Louisiana Legislature through Mar. 15, 2008.

Floor action, Mar. 14: SB 11

Floor action during the 2008 Second Extraordinary Sesison of the Louisiana Legislature.

Floor action, Mar. 12: SB 5

Floor action of the Louisiana Legisalture.

Democrat alleges double standard for GOP

The Republican Governor’s Association, of which Gov. Bobby Jindal is on the four-member executive board, called for New York Gov. Elliott Spitzer to resign because of his associations with a prostitute in Washington, D.C.

House panel keeps cap on legislators’ allowance

State representatives will continue to get a maximum $1,500-a-month voucher expense allowance, a House committee decided Tuesday.

Funding fight erupts

Legislators accused the Jindal administration Tuesday of trying to make higher education and health care more vulnerable to budget cuts.

House panel keeps cap on legislators’ allowance

State representatives will continue to get a maximum $1,500-a-month voucher expense allowance, a House committee decided Tuesday.

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly—Prefiled bills thorugh Mar. 8, 2008

Prefiled bills of the 2008 Second Extraordinary Session of the Louisiana Legislature through Mar. 8, 2008

House Conservatives Fund Endorses Woody Jenkins

In the final days of the race to succeed Congressman Richard Baker in Louisiana's Sixth Congressional District, the House Conservatives Fund (HCF) today announced their support for former State Representative Woody Jenkins. His long history of conservative leadership on the state and national levels distinguishes him from his competitors in Saturday's Republican primary and his positions in the current election indicate a commitment to returning transparency and fiscal restraint to Congress.

Political Action Arm of Nation’s Largest Taxpayer Group Supports Jenkins in Republican Primary

Louisiana's 6th Congressional District need a true taxpayer advocate who will courageously fight for lower taxes and limits on federal spending. That's the assessment of the National Taxpayers Union Campaign Fund (NTUCF), which today announced it has endorsed Woody Jenkins

Race for Jindal’s congressional seat goes negative

NEW ORLEANS -- State Sen. Steve Scalise, front-runner in a congressional race to find Bobby Jindal's replacement in a deep-fried Republican district, is warding off rivals' attacks seeking to muddy his image as a rock-solid, ethically clean conservative.

Vitter backs immigration bill package

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. David Vitter joined a dozen Republican Party colleagues Wednesday in unveiling 15 bills aimed at reducing illegal immigration.

Louisiana political icon dies at 91

BATON ROUGE -- Former Sen. Benjamin B. "Sixty" Rayburn, the gravely voiced icon who walked the halls of the state Legislature for 48 years and played a key role in springing Gov. Earl Long from a mental hospital, died Wednesday morning at St. Tammany Parish Hospital of complications from lung cancer. He was 91.

Jindal announces agenda for second special session of legislature

BATON ROUGE -- On the heels of claiming victory in his special session on ethics law changes, Gov. Bobby Jindal is calling the Legislature back for round two beginning Sunday. This time, he is asking lawmakers to consider a slate of tax breaks and how to spend a $1.1 billion surplus of tax revenue.

Teacher union head raps Jindal education plan

Gov. Bobby Jindal’s teacher pay raise proposal is too small, should have included public school support workers and Jindal is off-base on several other hot button education issues, the president of a teacher union said Tuesday.

McCain clinches GOP nomination

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Hillary Rodham Clinton scored three victories in a night of revival that denied Barack Obama a ripe opportunity to drive her from the Democratic presidential race. Clarity came only to the Republican side, where John McCain made the nomination his own.

3 GOP hopefuls wary of loop

Three Republican candidates trying to succeed former U.S. Rep. Richard Baker downplayed the urgency Monday of building a $4 billion loop around Baton Rouge.

Jindal may back tuition tax breaks

BATON ROUGE -- In a move certain to spark a philosophical debate over spending on public education, Gov. Bobby Jindal will ask lawmakers to consider tax breaks for families that pay private school tuition, according to a state senator who has championed such benefits in recent years.

Price of ethics reform

After a historic expansion of the state’s ethics laws, officials now for the first time are confronting how much it’s all going to cost.

Legislative special session through Mar. 1, 2008

Activities of the 2008 First Extraordinary Session of the Louisiana Legisalture.

Jindal: New spending to target employers

Gov. Bobby Jindal on Thursday proposed $30 million in increased state spending so that new and existing businesses can tap into a better-skilled workforce.

Sawyer keeps ad on Jenkins

GOP congressional candidate Paul Sawyer on Thursday said he would ignore the state Republican Party’s demand to pull a controversial advertisement from the airwaves.

Democrats head to polls Saturday to pick delegates

BATON ROUGE -- Democratic voters Saturday will choose 15 delegates pledged to Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York and 22 pledged to Sen. Barrack Obama of Illinois, but the voting will not be at the same time and in the same places as usual.

Corps levee projects on the hot seat

Residents of Jefferson and St. Charles parishes questioned Army Corps of Engineers officials Thursday about a $1 billion plan to raise hurricane protection levees in both parishes.

State health care for children to expand

BATON ROUGE - Another 6,500 Louisiana children will be eligible for health insurance by September, but unlike the existing Louisiana Children's Health Insurance Program, it's not free.

New York Times: Louisiana Governor Pierces Business as Usual

BATON ROUGE, La. — Downstairs, legislators gnashed their teeth, while upstairs at the Capitol here this week, the new governor claimed victory against the old customs down below.

Teacher raises offered

Gov. Bobby Jindal proposed a $70 million public schoolteacher pay raise Wednesday as part of his first state government spending plan.

Ethics session ends with solid progress

BATON ROUGE -- Legislators ended a sometimes-combative and historic special session Tuesday with Gov. Bobby Jindal winning passage of the major elements of a package designed to boost Louisiana's image in the eyes of business and public interest groups by increasing government transparency and accountability.

Jindal praises session

The Legislature adjourned Tuesday after handing Gov. Bobby Jindal victory on the core pieces of his ethics agenda. “This Legislature has hit an absolute home run for the people of Louisiana,” Jindal said at a session-ending news conference.

Legislative briefs for February 27, 2008

Inspector general written into La. law Ethics Board loses powers under bill House members say newcomers welcome

Nagin faults trailer fume plan

In a letter to President Bush, New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin has criticized FEMA's plan to move people living in travel trailers with possibly unsafe levels of formaldehyde into apartments and hotels. He said it could cause "a second great displacement" of New Orleanians and seriously harm the city's economy.

Katrina Cases Go Before High Court

(NEW ORLEANS) — Louisiana's highest court waded Tuesday into a high-stakes legal debate spawned by the insurance industry's refusal to pay for water damage from the failure of levees in greater New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.

Legislators negotiate ethics differences

House and Senate negotiators reached compromises Monday in a series of disputes involving key ethics bills sought by Gov. Bobby Jindal.

Senate, House split on provision in ethics bill

The Louisiana Senate decided Monday that the state Board of Ethics should be stripped of enforcement powers.

Louisiana’s Agriculture Industry Looking For New Generation Of Farmers

Where have all the young farmers gone? That question is at the heart of the ag industry in Louisiana, which employs the most people in the state.

Louisiana Legislature Passes Online State Spending Database

“This bill gives us a great tool to make sure government is not only ethical but accountable, by empowering four million citizen auditors to monitor what the state spends and to judge whether it’s wise, necessary, and achieving results. As a consequence of this openness and transparency, I fully hope that the investment we make today will bring a return of taxpayer savings throughout state government.”

2 La. insurance lawsuits may rock legal world

For thousands of Louisiana hurricane victims still battling their insurers over policy interpretations, Tuesday is the biggest of judgment days, with millions of dollars and, possibly, the future of the state's insurance landscape at stake.

Jindal’s ethics plan on track

Despite some setbacks, key parts of Gov. Bobby Jindal’s ethics package appear poised to win final approval, lawmakers and others said.

La. GOP re-elects Villere

Louisiana Republican Party Chairman Roger Villere said Saturday that the GOP will face a greater challenge in holding onto a Baton Rouge-based congressional seat than a more secure Republican seat centered in suburban New Orleans.

House: Most free tickets OK

The Louisiana House of Representatives rewrote legislation Thursday so that lawmakers and other elected officials could still get free tickets to most sporting and cultural events.

Young lawmaker put on hot seat

A 24-year-old freshman legislator tried Thursday to put an end to lobbyists picking up the tab for lawmakers’ meals and drinks.

Council OKs measures to address N.O. blight

The New Orleans City Council took two actions Thursday intended to strengthen the city's procedures for fighting blight.

Search panel endorses Clausen for education post

University of Louisiana System President Sally Clausen is in line to become the state’s next commissioner of higher education.

Study: Seniors Fell Victim To Katrina

Many of Hurricane Katrina's victims were senior citizens who became trapped by floodwaters and drowned in their homes, according to a newly released accounting of the 2005 storm.

Jefferson Parish boards OKs desegregation plan

After an hour of deliberation, the Jefferson Parish School Board unanimously approved a controversial federal desegregation order Wednesday that aims to stamp out racial inequalities but touched off a firestorm among parents, who turned out in droves this week to protest proposed redistricting changes and a stricter student transfer policy.

Session nears end

After giving an impassioned plea to the state House of Representatives, Rep. Sam Jones withdrew his bill to restrict political appointments saying it would be virtually impossible to win passage with lawmakers hoping to finish by the weekend.

Louisiana Legislative Mission: Perk Free Living

Finally, yesterday, the House Committee on House and Governmental Affairs approved bills that are too “perkish” for starts. That committee has agreed to allowing Senate Bill 8 go forward, which sets a $50 ceiling on the amount of free food and drinks that elected officials can accept from lobbyists. The ceiling would apply per occasion. So, logic tells one that a lobbyist can lavishly dine a legislator frequently, just stay within the fifty dollar tab unless there is a hard and fast cap for total amount of paid meals for elected officials or for snacking buddies involving individual lobbyists and elected official.

Allstate, Louisiana agree to settle

Allstate Corp. will restore insurance coverage for hundreds of customers and pay $250,000 to resolve disputes over cancellation of south Louisiana homeowner policies after Hurricane Katrina, the company said Wednesday.

Floor action, Feb. 20: HB 85, HB 7

Activities of the 2008 First Extraordinary Session of the Louisiana Legislature.

Jindal’s ethics bill advances with twist

The Jindal administration’s bill to strip the state Ethics Board of enforcement powers cleared a Senate panel Tuesday, but with a new twist.

1st District race alters St. Charles voter rolls

It was hardly a stampede, but St. Charles Parish Registrar of Voters Brian Champagne said several hundred voters changed or joined political parties in recent weeks, most likely because of the new election rules that can leave unaffiliated voters on the sidelines at the ballot box.

Justices turn aside flood insurance plea

The nation's highest court dealt a blow Tuesday to property owners who want insurance companies to pay for damage from levee breaches after Hurricane Katrina, but the Louisiana Supreme Court is poised to tackle the issue later this month.

Panel backs ticket ban bill

Lawmakers advanced legislation Tuesday that would limit the free food and ban the free tickets they currently can accept from lobbyists.

Judges taken off financial measure

A Senate panel removed judges from the Jindal administration’s personal financial disclosure bill Tuesday after warnings that it might lead to a legal battle.

Vitter opposes Bush’s choice for ATF

WASHINGTON -- Louisiana Sen. David Vitter has joined two other Republican senators to block the nomination of Michael Sullivan to head the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms on grounds that he hasn't offered specific steps to end what Vitter calls the bureau's overzealous regulation of legal gun dealers.

Groups oppose ethics bill

Two government watchdog groups asked the Jindal administration Monday to put the brakes on a bill to strip the state Ethics Board of its enforcement powers.

Officials discuss, defer ban on tickets

A House committee delayed action Monday on a bill that would ban free tickets for lawmakers — under certain conditions — to cultural and sporting events.

Senate balks at campaign disclosure bill

BATON ROUGE -- Despite changes designed to make it less onerous, a watered-down version of a bill that would require political candidates to solicit information about their campaign contributors was still too much for the Senate to swallow Monday.

Louisiana Gov Jindal Batting On Ethics Special Session

At the beginning of the second week of the special legislative session, on ethics reform, the team of Governor Jindal, the Speaker of the House of Representative, Jim Tucker and Senate President, Joel Chaisson are still swinging for the fences although we are not sure if they will bat one thousand which is what Governor Jindal said was his goal.

Sen. Clinton to speak at N.O. symposium

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton will be in New Orleans Saturday as part of Tavis Smiley's State of the Black Union symposium on education, health, housing and other issues affecting African-Americans.

Results mixed for Jindal agenda

BATON ROUGE -- One week into the Legislature's special session on ethics law changes, it is clear that Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal will not reach his stated goal of "batting a thousand."

La. delegates go McCain

Huckabee out despite win

McCain will not ask me to be his running mate: Jindal

WASHINGTON: Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal has said Republican front-runner and presumptive presidential nominee Senator John McCain will not ask him to be his vice-presidential mate even though his name was circulating in some conservative circles.

La. to help pick nominee

WASHINGTON — With the delegate count so close between the Democratic Party’s two frontrunners for the party’s nominee for U.S. president, the choice could come down to the vote of the 796 so-called “superdelegates,” including nine from Louisiana.

Air Force Command site decision delayed

BOSSIER CITY — The Air Force has delayed until late in the year a decision originally expected this month on where to locate the new Air Force Cyber Command.

Legislative special session through Feb. 16, 2008

Summary of actions of the Louisiana Legislature from Feb. 10-16, 2008.

Floor action, Feb. 15: HB 1

Activities of the 2008 1st Extraoridnary Session of the Louisiana Legislature.

Bill to ID donations stumbles in committee

A bill to identify the employer of campaign contributors was shelved by the Senate & Governmental Affairs Committee on Thursday amid questions on whether it would be workable.

House OKs hiring disclosure bill

The House approved a measure Thursday that would shed more light on political payback.

Corps releases levee height needs

Levees along the eastern border of St. Bernard Parish and southern edge of eastern New Orleans will be raised as much as 11 feet -- up to a height of 29 feet in some spots -- to protect from storm surge flooding created by a 100-year hurricane, Army Corps of Engineers officials said Thursday.

Compromise grinds session to crawl

BATON ROUGE - Gov. Bobby Jindal's hallmark ethics bills have hit snags in the Legislature, with legislative leaders stalling two key proposals Thursday while they worked out compromises with lawmakers.

Ethics rules cut down on travel

WASHINGTON — New lobbying restrictions and past congressional scandals have pretty much grounded privately paid trips for the Louisiana congressional delegation and their staffs.

Campaign donors bill stalls in panel

A House panel on Wednesday derailed Jindal administration legislation that would have required candidates to disclose the employer of their campaign contributors.

Louisiana schools beat the odds

JEANERETTE - There's no grand secret to the success of kids at St. Charles Elementary School in Iberia Parish. It's the little things that seem to be making a big difference.

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