A House committee and a senate committee approved seperate bills that would generate revenue to address a 600-million dollar shortfall. In House Ways and Means, the panel on a 10-9 vote sent a measure to the House floor that would reduce a tax break for those who itemize on their tax returns. It would generate over 100-million dollars.

The Revenue and Fiscal Affairs committee moved a bill to the Senate floor that requires large manufacturing facilities to choose between two different property tax breaks they currently benefit from. Alexandria Senator Jay Luneau says the state is struggling financially and can’t afford to give businesses large tax breaks…
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Opposition came from business lobbyists who say this bill will hurt economic development efforts.

The governor has signed a bill into law that increases the fine for texting and using social media while driving from $175 to $500. Don Molino has more…
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And the governor signs into law a measure that will require public and charter schools to teach cursive writing. LSU English professor Renee Casbergue says cursive is becoming a loss art and there might not be much use for it in the future….
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The mandate goes into effect for the 2017-18 school year.