Lawmakers filed more than 1,400 bills for consideration in the legislative session expected to end Friday, with the heaviest debate focused on state finances.
But other measures dealing with gun laws, criminal sentencing changes, public education, sexual harassment, hazing, abortion and pay issues also drew debate time over 10 weeks.
As lawmakers prepared to return to the Capitol on Tuesday to open a two-week special session called by Gov. John Bel Edwards to determine if they’ll pass taxes to offset some temporary taxes that expire July 1, here’s a rundown of what went down during the regular session:
• Budget: A $28.5 billion state operating budget that contains steep cuts across government agencies was sent to the governor, largely with Republican votes. Democratic critics wanted lawmakers to wait until the special session that starts next week to determine if they will replace expiring temporary taxes and close a hefty gap. The spending plan keeps nursing home residents from eviction and safety-net hospitals operating, but steeply cuts education, public safety and social services programs. TOPS would cover only 70% of college tuition. Edwards hasn’t said whether he’ll veto the spending plan that he didn’t want passed.
• Criminal Justice: Voters will decide on the November ballot whether to get rid of Louisiana’s law that allows serious felony convictions to be decided by split juries. Laws against bestiality will be toughened. Last year’s sweeping overhaul of criminal sentencing laws will be tweaked. Lawmakers spurned a proposal to end Louisiana’s use of the death penalty.
• Sexual harassment: Louisiana will enact its first government-wide policy against sexual harassment, requiring state and local agencies to enact anti-sexual-harassment policies that include a process for handling complaints and mandatory prevention training. The House refused to ban employers from requiring their workers to sign contracts that keep them from filing sexual harassment lawsuits in civil court.
• Pay: Legislators refused Edwards-backed proposals to raise Louisiana’s minimum wage and to enact new laws aimed at lessening the pay gap between men and women. It was the third year Edwards has seen minimum wage and equal pay measures fail to win support.
