On June 8, the Louisiana State Legislature will adjourn its regular session. Convened on April 10, lawmakers used the session to review 949 bills. However, only a fraction of those bills have made it to the governor’s desk and been signed into law.
Several proposals to rein in the cost of TOPS were defeated, though it appears the program will be fully funded for the upcoming fiscal year. However, the creation of a task force to review the cost of the program is likely, and House Bill 117, which proposed raising the minimum grade point average to qualify for a scholarship, was killed.
The Legislature’s biggest issue was the approval of a $29 billion spending plan for the next fiscal year. The proposal must be approved by the end of the session Thursday to avoid Gov. John Bel Edwards’ call for a special session. Despite the battles over the budget, lawmakers have expressed optimism that the budget will gain approval by the end of the session.
The budget debate centers on distribution of lawmakers in two major committees in the Legislature. Led by State Rep. Gene Reynolds (D-Minden), the Democrats are asking for 40 percent of the seats on the House Appropriations and Ways and Means Committees. This would fall in line with their 40 percent representation in the House itself. Reynolds has said that moderate Republicans would also be acceptable.
The Legislature also approved a package of 10 bills aimed at overhauling the criminal justice system. The package of bills aimed at overhauling sentencing in the state criminal code reduces mandatory minimum sentences, trims other sentences, and allows inmates to be eligible for parole sooner. The package also allows for the creation of a medical furlough program, which would allow extremely sick inmates to seek medical attention away from prison. The program would allow inmates to be covered by Medicaid, contributing to the estimated $262 million in savings generated by the bills.
The 10 bills also expand prison alternatives, such as drug court and a safety net for inmates being reintroduced to society. The package met with unexpected bipartisan support.
Perhaps the most hotly debated bill of the session, however, was the bill to change the name of the Louisiana School for Math, Science and Art to include former state lawmaker Jimmy Long’s name. The former legislator was instrumental in getting the school built and funded, but the bill was rabidly opposed by a group of alumni and others. Opponents cited a loss of reputation for the school as the main reason for opposing the bill. Amendments were added to the bill, giving the school control of the implementation of the new name as a means to offer compromise.
The session saw the defeat of several bills, among which were a 17 cent gas tax hike, a measure to override local governments who choose to remove Confederate monuments, and a measure to regulate ride-sharing services in the state. A bill aimed at punishing “sanctuary cities,” where law enforcement doesn’t automatically check immigration status, passed the House, but was defeated in the Senate.
