The full House is expected to discuss the proposed budget for next fiscal year today, including whether or not the TOPS scholarship program will be fully funded next year. Don Molino has more…
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A bill that would allow patients direct access to physical therapists instead of receiving a doctor’s referral first heads to the full House. Michelle Southern has more…
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The Senate approved measure that would require private employers to pay men and women the same for equal work is scheduled to be heard today in the House Labor Committee…:
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The full House is expected to discuss today whether the TOPS scholarship program should be fully funded for next school year, as they address the proposed budget for next fiscal year. Publisher of LaPolitics.com, Jeremy Alford, says he’s spoken with some lawmakers on the Senate side, who are torn on the matter.
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Alford says TOPS was not fully funded in the governor’s proposed budget, but it is funded in the modified proposal from the House Appropriations Committee. He expects to see more changes made to HB1 as it moves through the legislature.
Alford says the TOPS funding issue will likely be brought up again before the end of this fiscal year, regardless of what happens to the program in the proposal before the lower chamber today.
Other budget concerns include the Attorney General’s Office requesting its own separate budget, talk of eliminating the Inspector General’s Office completely, and more cuts to the state’s health budget.
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Senate approved legislation that would give patients direct access to a physical therapist rather than getting a doctor’s referral first now moves to the full House. Family physician and occupational medicine specialist Dr. Robert Rush is in favor of the legislation and says many people in the orthopedic field are stuck in the past. Rush says direct access to a physical therapist is a time and money saver.
President of the American Physical Therapy Association Sharon Dunn says early therapy with an episode of pain reduces costs up to 60-percent. She says it’s time for Louisiana citizens to have the right to choose physical therapy first.
Orthopedic surgeon Dr. Doug Bostick spoke in opposition to the legislation because he believes the bill threatens patient safety and medical care. He says providing treatment without a medical diagnosis can be dangerous leading to inappropriate care.
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Lafayette Orthopedic surgeon Dr. Scott Yurger says physical therapists are not part of the diagnostic team and never have been. He says many people in Louisiana can’t afford to pay for physical therapy…
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The Senate approved measure that would require private employers to pay men and women the same for equal work is scheduled to be heard today in the House Labor Committee today. A woman in Louisiana makes an average 66 cents on the dollar compared to men. Tulane Business Professor Mark Rosa says hardly anyone would argue against men and women earning equal pay, but it’s not that simple:
Rosa says what he’s seen in most businesses is that women tend to shoulder more of the care for home life, which is where he thinks most of the pay disparity comes from. He says women seem to be away from the workplace more than men due to things beyond her control such as maternity leave or caring for a relative…:
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Critics of the equal pay bill feel it would expose small businesses to more lawsuits, and make their establishments more vulnerable to competition if their pay and benefits packages were made public. If this law passes Rosa says it would likely mean an outside entity, such as an auditor, would have to be involved in employee pay…:
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After a lengthy debate, the House approved a measure to expand the list of conditions medical marijuana can be used to treat. New Orleans Representative Helena Moreno supports the proposal. She says there are families with sick children in Louisiana who need this medication. Moreno says there would still be strict limitations surrounding medical cannabis.
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But Bossier City Representative Mike Johnson opposes the legislation. He says he wants to help these kids, but he doesn’t want to give more people in Louisiana access to this schedule I narcotic.
Johnson says many medical professionals do not support this kind of legislation. He quoted the American Epilepsy Society, saying medical cannabis can actually make some conditions worse.
Johnson also says there are FDA-approved drugs that treat some of the diseases in the proposal. But Moreno says just because a drug is approved by the FDA, doesn’t make it the best option.
The measure passed on a 62-31 vote but goes back to the Senate for them to agree to changes made by the House.
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