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Happy spring!

I hope that everyone had a fun Mardi Gras and that you're looking forward to St. Patrick's Day in the Irish Channel.

This email will cover the upcoming regular legislative session which begins on March 14, 2022, along with some other odds and ends. As always, please reach out to me by email or social media (links at end) with questions or suggestions.

One final note: I am hoping some of you can contribute to my campaign account over the next week. Given how busy we expect this session to be, I would like to give stipends to a handful of people who are assisting with organizing on bills, along with two new interns and my overworked aide. I cannot accept donations once session starts, so if you can, please donate before noon on March 14th. You can contribute online at Act Blue or I can pick up a check from you. I am also beginning to plan for re-election next year, and a healthy campaign account helps tremendously. I appreciate you!

Mandie

MY PENDING LEGISLATION

I have several bills filed already, and will likely be filing a few more once session starts. If you're not sure how to look up bills on the legislature's website, here's a quick video that shows you how. Here are some highlights:

• I am working with advocates on HB 605, which would ban conversion therapy in Louisiana, a harmful practice that bullies LGBTQ+ children and teens who already experience high suicide rates. If you or someone you know has experienced this and you'd like to testify about it, please let me know.
• I am working with Louisiana Fair Housing on HB 160, which would provide protections for tenants after a disaster. As you may recall, many people affected by Hurricane Ida faced wrongful eviction from their homes - a traumatic experience for anyone, but particularly so after being hit with a hurricane.
• I've also filed HB 199 and HB 288, which would implement term limits for sheriffs and assessors. Even though term limits are hugely popular with voters, these bills are likely to face stiff opposition from the sheriffs & assessors. Legislators, the governor, the mayor, and city council all have term limits.
• Along with Rep. Freeman and Lift Louisiana, I'll be working on HB 516, which would provide policies in schools for pregnant and parenting students to assist with medical appointments, child care, and breastfeeding. Louisiana has a high teen pregnancy rate, and we need to provide as much assistance as we can.
• HB 209 would allow New Orleans and other large municipalities to pass our own gun laws. Right now, the city's hands are mostly tied on this issue by the state. Given the dramatic increase in gun violence, we should be able to address our city's needs appropriately. I'll be working with the local Moms Demand Action on this bill. (They are a great group if you are looking to become involved in this issue.)

OTHER BILLS TO WATCH

• HB 85 would ban traffic cameras statewide!! 
• There are so many anti-vaxx bills, where to begin.....
• Another mean bill targeting trans children is back. These children need protection, not further bullying.
• There are several frightening bills related to abortion, including one that mirrors Texas' vigilante bill, which has pretty much stopped all abortion care in that state. This is probably the most dangerous bill of the entire session.  
• A state senator wants to blood test *every* person who gives birth in the state. He is apparently looking for drugs. This is a dangerous and horrible idea.
• CRT nonsense is back with a vengeance. Here's one example. (Also for my Notre Dame folks reading this: Nikole Hannah-Jones of the 1619 Project is an ND grad!)
• There's a whole bunch of gun bills, and bills that increase criminal penalties, and ones that remove powers from the governor.....

I'll be sending out updates during session, but please also sign up for the Louisiana House Democratic Caucus email list, which sends out weekly updates on our legislation when we are in session.

ODDS AND ENDS AND UPCOMING

Last Week with John Oliver had an entire segment on sex work, and featured testimony from our hearing last year. You can see Lakeesha Harris and me in the background. :) It's a great segment - please give it a watch.

I'll be on a panel with a few other legislators this Tuesday night sponsored by the NO Junior League. Click to sign up.

Lift Louisiana is having their annual fundraiser this Friday March 11 at 6:30pm. Lift is one of a very few Louisiana-based reproductive rights organizations. Tickets here.

There is a rally in support of Ukraine this Tuesday March 8 at noon in Lafayette Square.

I was recently on the Old Pro podcast with Lakeesha Harris to discuss decriminalizing sex work.

The City's next Leadership Academy is accepting applications now. I did this several years ago and found it to be helpful.

Mardi Gras was great! Some pics from Zulu and Bacchus below.