|
Hot Topics from Recent Legislative Sessions
***CABL Positions on November 6th Constitutional Amendments Ballot (2012)
Click Here
2012 Legislative Session Wrap
Click Here
***CABL Positions on October 22nd Constitutional Amendments Ballot (2011)
Click Here
***CABL Positions on September 30th Constitutional Amendments Ballot (2010)
Click Here for (PDF)
2006 Legislative Regular Session
Legislative Wrap-Up
(June 26, 2006 CABL Capitol Update) The 2006 Regular Legislative Session was, in many ways, one of contrasts. On the one hand, lawmakers approved major reforms for local government in New Orleans. Yet, at the same time there was never really the feeling that something new was happening in the Legislature and we were seeing the beginning of a wave of reform. more...
Nothing Is Easy When It Comes to Reform
(June 12, 2006 CABL Capitol Update) Reform. It’s a word people like to use—especially politicians. Sometimes it seems like everything is a “reform.” Why? Because it sounds good. more...
Show Us The Money
(June 5, 2006 CABL Capitol Update) Who would have thought it just a few months ago? The state budget is flush with money—at least more than anyone expected—and the budget is moving rather quietly through the legislative process. So what in the world is happening? more...
A Simple Solution for Conflicts of Interest on Assessors Vote
(May 15, 2006 CABL Capitol Update) When it comes to the question of legislators having conflicts of interest for voting on a bill to consolidate the seven tax assessors in Orleans Parish, things have gotten a little complicated—but they don’t have to be. more...
An Idea for Paying the "FEMA" Piper
(April 24, 2006 CABL Capitol Update) Remember the large FEMA bills that have been lurking just over the horizon? A lot of people seem to have forgotten about them, but there’s a bill in the hopper this legislative session that legislators ought to take a close look at. It’s HB 949 by Rep. Don Cazayoux. It establishes the FEMA Reimbursement Fund, and requires that the state deposit $100 million in the fund each year to pay our FEMA obligations because of the storms. more...
And Now...The Regular Session
(April 3, 2006 CABL Capitol Update) So, what kind of session will this be? That’s what everyone is wondering after a couple of contentious special sessions where you could see just about everyone’s blood starting to boil. The governor joked about it during her opening address to the Legislature Monday, but many clearly hope things will be a bit calmer this time around. more...
2006 Legislative Special Session
Special Session: How Much Did We Accomplish? Not Enough.
(February 2006 CABL Capitol Update) For a variety of reasons, CABL believes the just-completed special session to deal with hurricane-related issues was a disappointment. It was also a very frustrating twelve days, which we hope is not an omen of things to come. Certainly some positive things occurred, but if you ask whether the session accomplished all the things it needed to, the answer is clearly, no. more...
2005 Legislative Special Session
Special Session: Finally a Start, But Much More to Do
(November 2005 CABL Capitol Update) It was a beginning. After 17 days and a call that included 77 items, the Special Legislative Session to address post-hurricane recovery was a start in the right direction. But it’s clear looking at the difficulty lawmakers had in addressing some key issues, our recovery is still very much a work in progress. Overall, we began to handle some important issues, but the remaining issues only get tougher and the decisions harder as we move forward. more...
Special Session: Some Critical Areas of Focus
(November 7, 2005 CABL Capitol Update) There are 77 items in the call for the special legislative session. It will be a jam-packed 17 days. There are issues that will generate considerable heated debate. But all of that is good. From CABL’s perspective, Louisiana needs to begin now to engage in many of these critical recovery issues. In many ways, the call is broad, allowing lawmakers a fair amount of room to legislate on a lot of different issues. But it also focuses on some areas that CABL believes are critically important. Here are some of them, and our ideas about what we should and shouldn’t do. more...
2005 Legislative Regular Session
2005 Legislative Wrap Up
(June 27, 2005 CABL Capitol Update) So now that it’s all over, what kind of session was it? For this session more than most, it really depends on how you look at it. Certainly, there were a number of positives, but this year there were some negative things that really give us a cause for concern. From CABL’s perspective, it is important that we look at both. more...
So Much to Do, So Little Time, So Much Still at Stake
(June 13, 2005 CABL Capitol Update) With just over a week-and-a-half before the legislative session ends, the tick of the clock is beginning to get a little louder. more...
|