BATON ROUGE Talk of “tax reform” has returned to the Louisiana Capitol, with the House and Senate’s Republican leaders making it their central push for the two-month legislative session starting Monday. But reform means different things to different people, and reaching a deal is tricky at best.
Louisiana s majority-Republican Legislature and Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards were mired in tax debates most of the last four-year term, to fill massive budget gaps left behind by former Gov. Bobby Jindal. Eventually, they reached a patchwork deal to keep the state s budget afloat without deep slashing, balanced mainly on a temporary state sales tax hike.
Recall against Louisiana House speaker doesn t gain traction
April 12, 2021
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FILE - In this Jan. 19, 2021 file photo, House Speaker Clay Schexnayder, R-Gonzales, left, asks questions during a meeting of Louisiana s income forecasting panel, the Revenue Estimating Conference, while Senate President Page Cortez, R-Lafayette, listens in Baton Rouge, La. Louisiana lawmakers return Monday, April 12 to the state Capitol for their first full-length regular session since the pandemic began and with far more topics than the coronavirus on the agenda.Melinda Deslatte/AP
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) An attempt to recall Louisiana House Speaker Clay Schexnayder has failed, passing the deadline without signatures submitted.
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) Despite the coronavirus outbreak, the Louisiana Legislature opens a regular session Monday that seems more like those of pre-pandemic times, with debates planned on taxes, sports betting, transgender rights and other issues far beyond the virus’ aftermath.
Lawmakers will haggle over some COVID-19 topics, such as whether to curb the governor’s emergency response authority and possible bans on vaccination mandates. They’ll also try to decide how to divvy up more than $3 billion in new federal coronavirus aid heading to Louisiana.
But the agenda for the two-month gathering that begins midday Monday is broad, as lawmakers who saw session plans last year disrupted by the pandemic have a long list of bills they want to debate.
Louisiana lawmakers make bold predictions for Legislative Session
BATON ROUGE Louisiana lawmakers opened their 2021 Regular Legislative Session here Monday primed for a 60-day sprint to the finish.
There are no budget threats this year to hospitals, colleges, TOPS or other popular programs, thanks to better than expected revenue and an infusion of federal COVID dollars, but that doesn t mean the session will lack drama.
Lawmakers in the House and Senate predicted what they believe will be the surprises of the session during interviews with USA Today Network Monday.
Here s what they had to say:
Big tax structure changes on the way?