‘LaPolitics’: A breakdown of the bills Gov. Landry is backing this session

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    Gov. Jeff Landry kicked off this year’s regular session Monday with a speech that spanned nearly an hour and closed with a call to hold “incompetent” judges and district attorneys accountable for their actions. 

    As previously reported in LaPolitics, Landry is taking a softer approach to this year’s session. 

    There was no regional media approach, no announced agenda and only a sprinkling of policy pushes mentioned in his opening speech, or in public comments before and after. As Landry gently takes his hands off the legislative wheel, here are some of the initiatives he has offered support for:

    • Reducing the number of Orleans Parish judges (SB217)
    • Giving his office the power to remove district attorneys and judges, for generally not doing their jobs, for as long as six months (SB123)
    • Eliminating vehicle inspection stickers (HB838)
    • Providing educators with an annual pay raise by reorganizing various education trust funds (Constitutional Amendment No. 3)
    • Doubling the size of the LA GATOR program, which assigns public dollars to students attending private school (HB1)
    • Totally eliminating the state income tax
    • Increasing the Promise Program funding to “expand access to community and technical colleges that train students for in-demand, high-paying jobs”
    • Fully funding TOPS
    • Creating the Office of Louisiana Talent Accelerator to “streamline the workforce system, direct funding to training, prioritize credentials and measure outcomes—not paperwork” (HB951)
    • Creating an Office of Health and Nutrition, “bringing food policy and chronic disease management together so we can take a smarter, more coordinated approach to improving health across Louisiana” (SB 219)
    • Calling for a $46.9 billion budget. “This budget is smaller than last year’s $50 billion budget.”
    • Strengthening the Inspector General’s Office, “because protecting taxpayer dollars is not optional, it is essential. Fiscal responsibility is no longer a slogan in Louisiana. It’s how we govern.” (SB292)
    • Creating a State Infrastructure Bank, “a conservative, revolving financing tool that allows us to stretch dollars further, leverage federal programs without surrendering control, and deliver more projects without raising taxes.” (HB810)

    —They said it: “I say we get rid of the inspection sticker, people stand up. It’s a crazy state. There’s a lot more people clapping than y’all, I can promise you.”  –Gov. Jeff Landry on the response he gets at events around the state when he brings up getting rid of inspection stickers, in his session-opening speech to the Legislature

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