Not Yet A Member? Join today to get instant access to exclusive content—before it hits the web.
A top priority of the upcoming special legislative session should be to establish in law the Louisiana Recovery Authority (LRA). This will remove any doubt about the entity’s authority to plan the spending of the billions in recovery funding that has been granted by Congress so far. Reasonable and appropriate opportunity for legislative review of […]
The Senate is abusing the legislative process by totally reworking a House bill (HB 140) to mirror a controversial Senate bill (SB 105) in order to limit debate on the measure that would shrink the state’s Rainy Day Fund. The Senate bill (and now the House bill) would lower the cap on the Rainy Day […]
The state needs to enact tough ethics reform to help assure the nation that billions can be spent restoring Louisiana without fear of graft or corruption. PAR has long recommended that public officials and their family members should be prohibited from receiving public contracts, whether competitively bid or not. Current law provides some limits, but […]
The state has found a way to meet the nearly $1 billion shortfall and balance its budget with a combination of cuts and tapped reserves. However, the cuts go deeper than some legislators would like, so they are proposing a budget gimmick to shrink the state’s Rainy Day Fund. SB 105, which would lower the […]
State takeover of all or most public schools in New Orleans now appears likely. Removing schools from local control may not be a panacea, but the governor’s proposal for expanding state takeover would clear the path for reform. However, it is essential that a comprehensive plan be developed to include specific management strategies and high […]
Immediately deploying the resources of the offices of the Legislative Auditor, Inspector General, State Treasurer and Department of Revenue to coordinate and monitor federal disaster assistance to Louisiana was an appropriate response to meet the state’s emergency financial oversight needs. But, a more comprehensive oversight plan with independent components and additional contracting restrictions and requirements […]
The 2005 Regular Session of the Legislature was primarily a fiscal session; however, it was also the first meeting of the new, hybrid fiscal and limited-general session that was created by a 2002 constitutional amendment. In addition to fiscal bills, legislators could introduce up to five non-fiscal bills dealing with state concerns and an unlimited […]