Less than a month after voters rejected Amendment 2, Louisiana lawmakers are advancing a bill to increase teacher salaries. It would require school districts to use savings from the elimination of three state trust funds to provide the increases. A companion bill from Carencro representative Julie Emerson was designed to simplify the proposal in response to criticism that Amendment 2 was too complex.
Cut 4 (09) “…teacher pay raise there.”
The full Senate has approved legislation cracking down on “left-lane camping,” the act of lingering in the passing lane. First time offenders of the proposed law would face a fine of up to 150-dollars. Monroe Senator Stewart Cathey jokingly suggested a harsher punishment.
The Senate Health and Welfare Committee has advanced a bill that would ban fluoride in drinking water. The bill was written by Houma Republican Mike Fesi. Surgeon General Dr. Ralph Abraham says excessive levels of fluoride have been shown to lower IQs in babies. He calls it an issue of freedom of choice.
Cut 13 (10) “…as a physician.”
Opponents, however, say fluoride has proven to be beneficial when used at the right concentration. Annette Droddy, who represents the Louisiana Dental Association’s 19-hundred dentists, says when cities remove fluoride from their drinking water, tooth decay goes up.
Cut 15 (09) “…removal of fluoride.”
The vote was 6-to-3, along party lines.