Lawmakers return to the State Capitol today for the 2021 legislative session. Last year’s session was disrupted because of the coronavirus pandemic, so there are a lot of issues that legislators will attempt to tackle. House Speaker Clay Schexnayder says he’s pushing a tax reform bill that he says will simplify the state’s tax laws and help attract businesses…
cut 15 (10) “…really good”
Governor John Bel Edwards says he’ll support tax reform as long as it doesn’t reduce the amount of tax revenue going into the state’s coffers. And Edwards is once again asking legislators to raise the state’s minimum wage…
cut 12 (13) “…into law”

A bill that will be heard in the legislative session calls for the automatic termination of any university or college employee who fails to properly report incidents of “power-based violence” to the campus Title Nine coordinator. New Orleans Representative Aimee Freeman says her legislation is in response to LSU’s failure to properly handle incidents of sexual misconduct.
Cut 7 (11) “…terminated.”
Power-based violence is defined as dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, sexual harassment, and stalking.

Last November, most parishes approved a ballot item that would allow for legal sports betting. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says legislators will use this session to pass the rules and taxation for sports betting to finally be legal…
cut 5 (10) “….government”
The biggest argument will be about the scope of legalization, will it just be limited to the casinos or can you also place bets on your phone?