The House Appropriations committee approves legislation that would raise the legal age to smoke from 18 to 21 years old. West Monroe Representative Frank Hoffman says his goal is to prevent young people from smoking, which he says will reduce health care costs for the state
The legislation will also prohibit the sale of vaping products to those under the age of 21. New Orleans vape shop owner Victoria Wood says it’s a bad bill, because there are no repercussions for those between 18 to 21 who try to purchase tobacco or vaping products…
An effort to reverse the .45 percent sales tax passed last year to buoy the budget clears committee and is headed for the House floor, potentially setting up another fiscal showdown. The plan would phase the tax out over four years.
Legislation to raise the gas tax to fund infrastructure projects gets shelved due to a lack of support, prompting bill author, Baton Rouge Representative Steve Carter, to request the winner of the fall gubernatorial election call a special “infrastructure” session next year.
But Crowley Representative John Stefanski says his informal poll on support for any additional taxes indicated there is not much interest until the state government can prove it can handle it’s finances better.
Carter was visibly frustrated at many of his colleague’s refusal to back the 300 million dollar proposal, saying it’s not right for the Legislature to keep kicking the can down the road.
Carter’s plan would have raised the gas tax six cents in the first year, and up to 18 cents over the next 12 years.