The Revenue Estimating Conference upgrades the state revenue forecast for the current fiscal year by 357 million dollars and 320 million dollars for the next fiscal year beginning in July. Matt Doyle has more.
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Chalmette Representative Ray Garofalo says he was told to step aside or be removed as House Education Chairman because House Speaker Clay Schexnayder feared the tax reform agenda wouldn’t pass. Brooke Thorington has more
Cut 2 (31) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”
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The marijuana legalization effort appears to be dead for the session after legislation that would tax recreational sales is defeated 47-48 in the House. Matt Doyle has the story.
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Senator Bill Cassidy addressed fellow lawmakers in DC about the flooding and loss of lives in Louisiana this week when as much as 15 inches of rain deluged parts of the state. Cassidy urged lawmakers to pass comprehensive disaster relief for the state, which endured five named storms last year that included Hurricanes Laura and Delta.
Cassidy reminded fellow senators of the two hurricanes that made landfall within a month of each other following almost the identical path in southwest Louisiana. And that it was heavy rains this week that bombarded the same area once again.
Cut 5 (10)”…natural disaster.”
When asked by reporters about the progress of federal relief for southwest Louisiana Cassidy says he’s with fellow lawmakers to provide assistance.
Cut 6 (11) “…rebuilding process.”
On Tuesday Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter says some residents are faced with renovating their homes for a third time in nine months after flooding this week.
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Federal assistance and a rosier economic outlook lead the Revenue Estimating Conference to upgrade the state’s revenue projections by 677 million dollars through the end of the next fiscal year.
Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne says he recommends using these funds only for one-time expenses, although some would like to see the money put towards increasing teacher pay.
Unlike surplus funds discovered after a fiscal year ends these dollars won’t be restricted in where they can be used.
Dardenne says the windfall is partially the result of the REC putting forward a pessimistic forecast last February at the start of the pandemic. Another reason…
The revenue expectations for the current fiscal year increased by 357 million and 320 million for the next fiscal year beginning in July.
The increased forecast is not factored into the current spending plan but Dardenne expects lawmakers won’t waste time including it…
Dardenne says the funds do not need to be used to pay down the outstanding unemployment trust fund debt, as they plan to do that using American Rescue Act funds.
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Chalmette Representative issued a three-page response after being asked by House Speaker Clay Schexnayder to step aside for the remainder of the session from his post as House Education Chairman. The controversy started when Garofalo presented a bill in committee to prohibit divisive concepts in schools.
While presenting House Bill 564, Garofalo made a statement that said if you are discussing slavery then you can talk about everything, the good, the bad, and the ugly. The statement went viral and Garofalo says the Black Caucus wanted him removed for his bill, not his comments, but says he was removed so tax reform legislation can pass.
Garofalo says his remarks were taken out of context and he used the term in reference to teaching the entirety of a subject not that there were good parts of slavery.
Garofalo says he’s never apologized for his statement and there’s nothing for him to apologize for.
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The surprise march of marijuana legalization through the Legislature is over for the session after the House rejects a bill that would set the tax rate for recreational pot sales.
Mandeville Representative Richard Nelson says his legalization effort would have generated a lot of revenue for the state that will now remain in the hands of drug dealers and the cartels.
The final vote was 47-48 against. The tax legislation would’ve need 70 votes, or a two-thirds majority, for approval.
Thibodaux Representative Brian Fontenot led the charge against the bill on the House floor. He says we don’t know enough about the impacts of legalization yet to do it in Louisiana.
Cut 14 (09) “…the answer (x2).”
Nelson countered…
The Louisiana Sheriffs’ Association were staunch opponents of the bill, saying it would lead to more traffic accidents and crime, a charge Nelson disputed.
Nelson attempted to win over skeptics by dedicating 20 percent of all legal pot revenue to local law enforcement. That did not sway the Sheriffs’ Association or Fontenot…
Despite the failure of this legalization effort, the House did vote last week to decriminalize possession of a small quantity of weed. That legislation awaits a hearing in a Senate committee.