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The Louisiana Legislature completed its work on the state’s multibillion-dollar budget days ahead of the deadline, in a regular session temporarily disrupted by another divisive redistricting debate and ending with uncertainty for public school teachers.
A year after lawmakers passed the state budget in a frenzied final few minutes before theirdeadline, the Louisiana Legislature adopted a $49 billion compromise package of spending plansthis year with time to spare and no last-minute chaos in their three-month regular session.
Just as it appeared one awful public records exemption bill may be defeated for the current legislative session, another damaging exemption idea could take its place.
Louisiana’s lawmakers have a significant opportunity to protect their constituents’ access to theinformation needed to hold public officials accountable and understand the decisions about howtheir tax dollars are used.
Louisiana Legislature considering bill to broaden online access to public meetings, but with guardrails to ensure citizen participation.
Even as they wisely steer money to debt payments, education and infrastructure investments, Louisiana lawmakers also are making the short-sighted, politically driven decision to spend millions of dollars on local pet projects without public vetting or explanation.
Pandemic showed some benefits to meeting online, but widening virtual meeting authority should protect citizen access.