If you believe political trends from recent history routinely repeat themselves, then what we’ve seen from this current crop of state legislators may be all we’re going to see, Jeremy Alford says in his latest column.
“After nearly two and a half years, and just days following the Louisiana Legislature’s latest adjournment,” Alford writes. “It’s safe to assume the two chambers aren’t sitting on any big ideas—particularly for budgeting and taxes—that’ll be sprung on voters in 2019.”
Lawmakers have traditionally been more willing to embrace reforms during the first year of a term, typically on the heels of strong voter support for a candidate or political sentiment, Alford notes. Then there’s the closing year of a term, which is where things can get sticky.
The final 12 months of each term not only host the Legislature’s last regular session, but also the election cycle that will determine the fate of lawmakers looking to return to Baton Rouge. With a few exceptions, those parting floor votes are tame in nature, so as not to stir the electorate.
“There are some significant strides—reforms, even—that have been slam-dunked by this Legislature since January 2016, especially in regard to the criminal justice system and our courts,” he says. “But it has been a different tune on revenue and spending concerns.”
And though we may have seen everything we’re going to see from this current crop of state legislators, Alford says we shouldn’t forget that this is “the same Legislature that elected the first independent House speaker in generations and the same Legislature that worked more consecutive days that any other since statehood.”
The present membership also seems to like surprises, he adds, meaning it’s not entirely clear that we’ve heard the final gasp from this term of the Louisiana Legislature.
“Only they can answer those questions honestly,” Alford writes. “The rest of us will wait and see.”
Jeremy Alford publishes LaPolitics Weekly, a newsletter on Louisiana politics, at LaPolitics.com. Follow him on Twitter, or on Facebook. He can be reached at JJA@LaPolitics.com.
