Governor Edwards officially signs an executive order extending Phase Two for another 28 days, and orders groups of no more than 250 for indoor gatherings.
This extension has drawn the ire of some House conservatives who feel the extension will do too much damage to Louisiana businesses. As a result, Shreveport Republican Alan Seabaugh has resumed pushing a petition that if signed by half of the Legislature would end the Governor’s declaration of emergency. Seabaugh needs 53 additional lawmakers to join him in the House…
But Democrats oppose revoking the order. Baton Rouge Representative Denise Marcelle says some economic boosts are not worth the added risk to the lives of vulnerable Louisianans.
Cut 15 (11) “…a business open.”
State workers will not be getting their scheduled pay raises if the budget remains it its current state. Senate Finance Committee members agreed to pause the raises and reconsider them later in the year, citing concern over the “optics” of giving state workers a pay raise while so many private-sector employees have lost their jobs, but Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne notes that most of the workers who will be impacted don’t make a lot of money.
But Evangeline Parish Senator Heather Cloud says if we pass a raise some of them may end up not having a job…
A resolution by Baton Rouge Senator Cleo Fields to establish a task force to study policing policy gains final passage. The resolution had unanimous support in its final form, which removed previous language about George Floyd and racial profiling by police.