LOCAL

Here's a look at legislation authored by Ascension Parish's delegation

Staff Report
The statue of former Gov. Huey Long overlooks the Louisiana State Capitol that he built along the Mississippi River in Baton Rouge.

Here is a look at the bills Ascension Parish representatives filed in the 2023 Louisiana regular session.

All bills are available at www.legis.la.gov.

Republican state Rep. Tony Bacala, pictured here in the House Appropriations Committee on April 12, 2023 has a bill to phase out the temporary state sales tax.

Tony Bacala (R-Prairieville):

HB4: TRESPASS: Provides relative to the crime of criminal trespass on running waters of the state

HB34: RETIREMENT/MUNICIPAL POL:  Provides relative to the funding deposit account for Municipal Police Employees' Retirement System and authorizes the board of trustees of the system to modify employer contributions (OR NO IMPACT APV)

HB62: TAX/SALES & USE:  Reduces the rate of the state sales and use tax

HB94: CRIME/THEFT:  Provides relative to theft or criminal access of automated teller machines

HB166: BUDGETARY CONTROLS:  Requires certain information and analysis to be included in the governor's executive budget and the General Appropriation Bill

HB401: APPROPRIATIONS:  Provides appropriations to nongovernmental entities (Withdrawn from the files of the House - prior to introduction)

HB477: CRIMINAL/RECORDS:  Provides relative to information provided when prosecuting offenses

U.S. Congressman Garret Graves, left, shares a laugh with state Rep. Ken Brass, right, along the Mississippi River levee top in Donaldsonville.

Ken Brass (D-Vacherie):

HB72: COLLEGES/UNIVERSITIES:  Provides relative to the designation of military and veteran friendly campuses

HB213: PUBLIC RECORDS:  Exempts certain school surveillance and security video from the Public Records Law

HB485: STUDENT/LOANS-SCHOLARSHP:  Creates the Louisiana National Guard Patriot Scholarship Program to cover the cost of mandatory fees for members attending La. public postsecondary education institutions 

HCR43: EDUCATION DEPARTMENT:  Requests the Louisiana Department of Education to update its early childhood care and education data management systems

HR16: COMMENDATIONS:  Commends John C. Brass for his educational and civic accomplishments

Rep. Kathy Edmonston looks on during a committee meeting in 2021.

Kathy Edmonston (R-Gonzales):

HB42: VACCINES/VACCINATION:  Requires all public and nonpublic schools to accept a student's documentation relative to exemption from immunization requirements and requires that communication issued to students or parents about such requirements include exemption information

HB82: EDUCATION DEPARTMENT:  Abolishes the Louisiana Environmental Education Commission

HB158: LIABILITY/CIVIL:  Provides for a limitation of liability relative to the administration of pandemic disease vaccinations

HB182: VACCINES/VACCINATION:  Provides that no person shall be required to receive a COVID-19 vaccine as a condition of enrollment or attendance at any public or nonpublic school

HB372: FEDERAL MANDATES:  Provides relative to mandates, requirements, recommendations, instructions, or guidance from federal or international organizations

HB399: VACCINES/VACCINATION:  Requires that communication issued about immunization requirements include exemption information and applies exemptions not only to students seeking to enter school but also to students attending school

HB609: APPROPRIATIONS/JUDGMENT:  Appropriates funding for the consent judgment against the state in the suit entitled Matthew Anders v. State of La. through the Dept. of Transportation and Development

House Speaker Clay Schexnayder is shown in a 2021 photo.

Clay Schexnayder (R-Gonzales):

HB561: AGRICULTURE:  Provides relative to the Louisiana State University Agricultural Center 

HB562: TAX CREDITS:  Provides relative to the Motion Picture Production Tax Credit

HB563: FUNDS/FUNDING:  Creates a law enforcement recruitment incentive fund

HB564: RACING/HORSE:  Provides relative to racehorse wagering

HB571: ENERGY:  Provides relative to carbon capture and sequestration

HB605: HEALTH:  Provides relative to the regulation of consumable hemp products

HB630: TAX/SALES-USE-EXEMPT:  Provides relative to sales and use tax exemptions for commercial fishermen

HB636: LEGISLATIVE EXPENSES:  Makes appropriations for the expenses of the legislature for Fiscal Year 2023-2024

HCR2: HOSPITALS:  Provides for a hospital stabilization formula

HCR18: COMMENDATIONS:  Commends the Council of State Governments Southern Office on the occasion of the 77th Southern Legislative Conference

HCR19: COMMENDATIONS:  Commends the Lutcher High School Bulldogs football team on winning the Louisiana High School Athletic Association 2022 Non-Select Division II state championship

HCR20: COMMENDATIONS:  Commends the Louisiana State University women's basketball team on winning the 2023 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I women's basketball championship

HCR33: COMMENDATIONS:  Commends Arthur Villordon for receiving the National Sweet Potato Impact Award

HCR34: CONDOLENCES:  Expresses condolences on the death of Ruben John Dauzat

HCR35: COMMENDATIONS:  Commends James Hendrix on being named 2023 Conservation Systems Soybean and Corn Researcher of the Year

HCR41: SPECIAL DAY/WEEK/MONTH:  Designates May 16, 2023, as Parks and Recreation Day at the state capitol and July 2023 as Parks and Recreation Month in Louisiana

HR24: COMMENDATIONS:  Commends Amy Sins for receiving the Greater New Orleans Champions of Service Award for Volunteer Louisiana

State Sen. Ed Price is shown at right during a groundbreaking ceremony in Ascension Parish.

Sen. Ed Price (D-Gonzales):

SB18: RETIREMENT SYSTEMS:  Provides for benefit increases for retirees, beneficiaries, and survivors of state retirement systems and the funding therefor

SB21: PUBLIC BUILDINGS/GROUNDS:  Names the DOTD headquarters building in Baton Rouge in honor of Governor P.B.S. Pinchback

SB26: ETHICS:  Provides relative to public notice of hearings of the Ethics Adjudicatory Board

SB36: SHERIFFS:  Provides for funding of certain insurance costs for retirees of the Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office

SB131: PORTS/HARBORS/TERMINALS:  Provides for the commission for the Port of South Louisiana to set contract limits

Sen. Eddie Lambert (R-Gonzales):

SB99: FISH/FISHING:  Provides for possession limits of certain species caught in saltwater areas of the state

SB100: ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY:  Provides for advanced recycling facilities

SB103: NATURAL RESOURCES DEPT:  Renames the Department of Natural Resources

SB158: WEAPONS:  Provides for the protection of schools

SB161: PUBLIC HEALTH:  Provides for the Louisiana Small Wild Catfish Processor's Act

Gonzales Weekly Citizen and Donaldsonville Chief, part of the USA Today Network of Louisiana, cover Ascension Parish and the greater Baton Rouge area. Follow at facebook.com/WeeklyCitizen and facebook.com/DonaldsonvilleChief.