The 2012 Session of the Louisiana Legislature opened March 12 and must end by June 4. The general session has generated over 1600 bills filed to date that will be considered in the process, with the Northshore Legislative Alliance (NLA) tracking about 40 of particular interest to the local business community.
The major issues of the Session include K12 Education Reforms, Retirement Reforms, and Economic Development Package -- all priorities of the Governor's Office and firmly supported by the NLA. We will also advocate for legislation to strengthen St. Tammany Parish economic development efforts.
The weekly Legislative Updates will recap bills of high interest that are moving, and forecast legislative action for the week ahead. More information can be found on the state website at
www.legis.state.la.us.
THE WEEK IN REVIEW
Highlights of Bills passed in Committee:HB 292 Pugh - School Board Member Term Limits, Elections
HB 729 Robideaux - Corporate Tax Apportionment Program
HB 933 Carter - Early Childhood Care & Education Network
HB 958 Robideaux - Competitive Projects Payroll Incentive Program
HB 974 Carter - Teacher Pay-for-Performance and Evaluations
HB 976 Carter - Scholarships for Educational Excellence Prog.
SB 463 Walsworth - Corporate Tax Apportionment Program
SB 603 Appel - Teachers-Duties & Salary
Highlights of Bills passed on the Floor:HB 969 Talbot - Tax Rebate-School Organization Donations
SB 48 Guillory - State Retirement Boards Membership
SB 126 Murray - Extends Time Related to Design-Build Contracts
SB 313 Donahue - Allocation of Money/St. Tammany Parish Fund
SB 581 Appel - La. Early Childhood Education Act
THE WEEK AHEAD -- COMMITTEE SCHEDULE
(NLA TRACKED BILLS)
Some committees do not post their agenda until the day before a hearing, and bills posted are subject to change with short notice
HOUSE APPROPRIATIONSMONDAY 4/2/129:00 A.M. RM. 5HB 1 Fannin -- Provide for the ordinary operating expenses of state government for Fiscal Year 2012-2013.
SENATE LOCAL AND MUNICIPAL AFFAIRSMONDAY 4/2/129:00 A.M., Rm. FSB 617 Donahue -- Changes the composition of the board of commissioners of the St. Tammany Parish Development District.
SENATE FINANCEMONDAY 4/2/1212:30 P.M. RM. A-BHB 976 Carter -- Provides relative to the Student Scholarships for Educational Excellence Program, parent petitions for certain schools to be transferred to the RSD, charter school authorizers, and course providers.
HOUSE EDUCATIONWEDNESDAY 4/4/129:00 A.M. RM. 1SB 581 Appel -- Provides for the La. Early Childhood Education Act
.MAJOR BILLS on SENATE FLOORSenate bills are taken up on a rolling basis of those awaiting final passage, with the exact day usually not known in advance.SB 463 Walsworth -- Corporate Tax Apportionment Program Establishes the Corporate Tax Apportionment Program for the granting of contracts for certain businesses to utilize the single sales factor to compute their taxable income
SB 603 Appel -- Teachers-Duties & Salary Provides with respect to teachers and other school employees.
ACTION ALERT: The leading K12 bills just passed out of the Senate Education Committee and may be voted on by the full Senate as early as Tuesday/Wednesday of this week, including HB 974 Carter (teacher tenure) and HB 976 Carter (voucher). The business community is asked to engage to help get these critical bills passed by the Senate!
MAJOR BILLS on HOUSE FLOORMonday April 2HB 933 Carter -- Early Childhood Care & Education Network Creates and provides for an early childhood care and education network.
Tuesday April 3HB 652 Leger -- Design-Build Method on Construction Projects Authorizes ports to use the design-build method on certain construction projects
HB 729 Robideaux -- Corporate Tax Apportionment Program Provides for creation of the Corporate Tax Apportionment Program.
HB 783 Fannin -- Bond Issuance, State Highway Improvement Fund Authorizes the issuance of bonds secured by monies in the State Highway Improvement Fund
HB 937 Robideaux -- Corporate Headquarters Relocation Program Creates the Corporate Headquarters Relocation Program which authorizes a rebate for certain costs related to the relocation of certain corporate headquarter projects.
Wednesday April 4HB 89 Ligi -- Public Access to Public Collective Bargaining Provides relative to public access to public collective bargaining sessions and related documents.
HB 178 Ponti -- Trade Secret Confidentiality Extends confidentiality to any proprietary or trade secret information submitted for economic development purposes
HB 208 Ponti -- Dept. of Economic Development Confidentiality Extends sunset for confidentiality of company information submitted to the Dept. of Economic Development.
HB 292 Pugh -- School Board Member Term Limits, Elections Requires local option elections in local school districts on term limits for school board members
As the 2012 Session continues the Northshore Legislative Alliance may release special updates and alerts, working through its grassroots membership and Legislative Advocate Dino Paternostro of LegisLink, LLC. The business community can monitor Capitol activities on the state website at www.legis.state.la.us.
