CIVIC EDUCATION EFFORT STARTS IN SEPTEMBER

Louisiana's Legislators Back to School Program is ready to roll for the ninth year. Since 2000, Louisiana Representatives and Senators have participated actively in this premier civic education program, sponsored by the National Conference of State Legislatures' Trust for Representative Democracy. The program gives legislators in all fifty states the chance to meet their young constituents personally, in the classrooms of their districts – to talk about what it's like to be a state legislator, to share ideas, to listen to concerns, and to impart a greater understanding of the legislative process. Legislators and students interact in informal discussions, participate in mock legislative sessions or simulated public hearings, and even draft bills together. Kickoff week is the third week in September, but members can engage in the program at any time during the school year. Veteran staff members coordinate the program and stand ready to help legislators with scheduling school visits, media alerts, class materials, and suggestions for interacting with students. Teachers, parents, and students can contact these coordinators as well, in order to match their school with their legislator and invite them to "join the class."

On August 21, Representative Patricia Smith and Senate President Pro Tem Sharon Broome made a presentation to the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) about the program and received the board's formal endorsement. State Superintendent of Education Paul Pastorek asked to "tag along" on some classroom visits to observe this civic education program first-hand.

For more information, visit the National Conference of State Legislators' Back to School home page at http://www.ncsl.org/public/backsch.htm

Rep. Don Cazayoux Elected to Congress

State Representative Don Cazayoux, D-New Roads, won election on Saturday, May 3, 2008, to the vacancy in the sixth congressional district of Louisiana caused by the resignation of former United States Representative Richard Baker, R-Baton Rouge, on February 2. Cazayoux represented the 18th Louisiana House District since 2000. He defeated State Representative Michael Jackson in the Democratic runoff election in April of 2008 to become the Democratic Party's candidate for the May 3 general election. Running against candidates from the Republican Party and other parties and non-affiliated candidates, Cazayoux led the field with 49 per cent of the vote, with Republican candidate Woody Jenkins receiving 46 per cent and the three other candidates dividing the remainder. Cazayoux took the oath of office in the U.S. Congress on Tuesday, May 6, thereby resigning from his seat in the Louisiana House. He is serving the remainder of the term that will end on January 3, 2009. Louisiana's delegation in the U.S. House of Representatives now includes Republican Representatives Steve Scalise, Jim McCrery, Rodney Alexander, and Charles Boustany; and Democratic Representatives William Jefferson, Charlie Melancon, and Don Cazayoux.

Hands-Free Device Cell Phone Bill

By Rep. Austin Badon

Distracted drivers throughout the country are causing motor vehicle accidents and deaths. Many of these drivers are distracted because of cell phone use. In 2006 and 2007, more than 17 fatalities and nearly 5000 accidents were due to drivers using hand-held cell phones. We have all seen the driver in the wrong lane and the driver going too slow or too fast because they are preoccupied with their cell phone conversations or text messages.

This is why I introduced House Bill 852 which prohibits the use of a cell phone or communication device while driving, unless it has hands-free capabilities. By requiring the use of hands free devices, drivers will be able to put both hands on the wheel and focus their attention on their surroundings and on driving.

Some will argue that there are other things besides cell phones that distract drivers. Yes, there are. However, we have the technology to address the cell phone issue and therefore we should. And this legislation does not prohibit you from talking on your cell phone while driving. It just requires that you use hands-free devices. A small price to pay to save a life.

International Officials Visit the Legislature

A delegation of governmental and business leaders from Colombia was welcomed to the state capitol and the House of Representatives on April 17 by Representative Steve Pugh from Ponchatoula, District 73. Their day in Baton Rouge capped a week-long economic development program organized by the Latin American Business Development Initiative at the College of Business, Southeastern Louisiana University. The program's agenda stated that "the Colombia Government Officials delegation to Louisiana is designed to facilitate and improve business, political and social development opportunities between Colombia and the State of Louisiana under the vision of the Free Trade Agreement. The program offers participants a comprehensive schedule that includes opportunities to meet and interact with Louisiana business leaders and government officials from different sectors." These 34 individuals from Colombia – representing business, state government, and local government – met with the mayor's office in New Orleans; the mayors of Hammond, Mandeville, Ponchatoula, and Baton Rouge; the state Department of Economic Development; and specialists in the fields of economic development, organizational management of municipalities, international cooperation, e-learning and technology, immigration law, and export/import policy. They also visited the Port of New Orleans, TEMPICO, Ferrara Fire Apparatus, and the Mall of Louisiana. Following a presentation on how the Legislature works, Representative Pugh gave the officials mementoes of their visit to Louisiana at a special luncheon in Baton Rouge. The delegation returned to the capitol to be presented to the House of Representatives. Gloria Lilian Uribe Ríos, Presidenta Concejo Municipal, thanked the House for Louisiana's hospitality.

Participating agencies in the program include the College of Business at Southeastern Louisiana University, the World Trade Center of New Orleans, the Louisiana Department of Economic Development, the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Louisiana, the Inter-American Development Bank, Microsoft, and several businesses and business leaders.

An Experiment in Calendar Management

By: Alfred W. Speer, Clerk

The Louisiana House of Representatives is conducting an experiment in calendar management – scheduling bills for debate on final passage. Speaker Jim Tucker wanted to give the 59 new members more preparation time and opportunity than had ever been allowed in the past. The Speaker remembered his first sessions: crushing work load, legislating by surprise, an inability to track and prepare for bills because no one knew or could predict when a particular bill would be debated on the House floor.

Welcome the House’s Debate calendar! The Speaker announces, and posts on the House’s web site, the bills to be debated on each session day for the following week. The weekly schedule is: regular calendar bills on Monday, consent and regular calendar bills on Tuesday, Special Order and regular calendar bills on Wednesday and consent, regular, and postponed bills on Thursday. Each session day has an allotted number of bills and ONLY those bills will be considered for debate. If a bill on the list is postponed, that bill can only be called on a Thursday of some succeeding week. Once the day’s debate calendar is clear, the House adjourns for the day.

The scheduling of specific bills on specific days will provide members, advocates, and the public sufficient advance notice of a bill’s debate to allow for proper preparation and to allow interested citizens fair warning of the day upon which they may wish to attend the House’s debate.

Through the initial two weeks of this experiment the membership’s reaction has been overwhelmingly positive, the House has managed its debate and workload without problem, and the daily workload has not been crushing. So far, this experiment is a success.

On Behalf of the Freshman Class

Remarks at the Closing of the First Extraordinary Session of 2008


By State Representative Simone Champagne

We came here with enthusiasm and vision to help our Governor and fellow senior colleagues to lead our state in a new direction.

Thirty freshmen authored bills. Freshmen proposed 20 amendments to House Bills, of which 17 were adopted, and 24 amendments to Senate Bills, of which 15 were adopted. Five bills by freshmen have completed the legislative process.

We thank our Governor for bringing us here today. We could not have accomplished what we have in this short period of time without Speaker Jim Tucker, Speaker Pro Tem Karen Peterson, and House Clerk Butch Speer, who took up for us and fought for us when that may not have been the most popular thing to do at the time. We thank you.

We also thank our senior colleagues who offered us advice and guidance with the process.

Our staff who works diligently behind the scenes and who are the nuts and bolts of the operation that keep us grounded:

The Sergeants-at-Arms who come here everyday and protect the integrity of our house:

Chairman Rick Gallot and the House and Governmental Affairs Committee, understanding that we may not all like everything that was done but led this effort knowing that, long term, the "Company" known to us as our state will have a more prosperous future and who ultimately took the hits for the team:

Representative Jane Smith, who gave us wonderful advice in our orientation by telling us to respect our colleagues and they in turn will respect us:

We thank all of you for not only being our colleagues but our friends in this process.

Our work has just begun. It is a new day in Louisiana. Two weeks ago we walked on this floor individually; today we leave together as a team to Renew Louisiana.