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As the second day of the Legislature’s special session reached mid-afternoon, lawmakers had introduced 22 bills in the House and 14 others in the Senate. While that might look like a strong start on paper, it becomes worrisome when considering there are roughly 12 days remaining in the special session, which adjourns June 4. If there’s a silver lining, it’s that practically every policy idea included in Gov. John Bel Edwards’ call for the special session has been debated in one of this term’s eight other sessions. “It’s 80 percent, 90 percent regurgitated,” Rep. Barry Ivey, R-Baton Rouge, told LaPolitics. “It’s been done.Ivey and his other colleagues on the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee met this morning to begin the process of reviewing revenue-raising bills, but no votes were taken. Not yet, at least. Even though many of the bills are “low-hanging fruit,” as Ivey calls them, lawmakers are still waiting to … [Read more...] about Capitol Views: Special session has ‘low-hanging fruit,’ but members are sour

A proposed amendment to the Baton Rouge Police Department’s 2018 pay plan that would give commanders a pay raise was abruptly taken off the Metro Council’s agenda this morning. The Metro Council was supposed to consider the amendment by Baton Rouge Police Chief Murphy Paul, which would give a $1.50 bump an hour for certain officers, at this afternoon’s meeting. The pay raise, which was deferred at last month’s meeting, was set aside today “pending union negotiations,” says spokesman Sgt. Don Coppola Jr. It is unclear if the amendment will be brought up for consideration by the council at a later date. The negotiations are connected to the contract the union has with the department. Sgt. Bryan Taylor, president of the Baton Rouge Union of Police, did not respond to requests for an interview. The raise would have only been for the deputy chief of police, director of community services, violent crimes unit commander, training services director and … [Read more...] about Baton Rouge police pay proposal pulled from Metro Council agenda

The Planning Commission has cleared the way for commercial construction to begin at Rouzan, the 100-acre Traditional Neighborhood Development on Perkins Road in Southdowns. At its meeting Monday night, the commission approved changes to Rouzan’s final development plan to allow for a 29,800-square-foot Sprouts Farmers Market, 32,000-square-foot restaurant and retail building, and 216 parking spaces on a 4.43-acre parcel that will be the Rouzan Village Center. The changes are significant because commercial development at Rouzan has been stalled for years. Previously approved plans for a much more intense commercial use—a 32,000-square-foot Alamo Drafthouse cinema, 32,000-square-foot commercial building and five-story parking garage—fell through in 2016, after Alamo Drafthouse walked away from the deal with the project’s original developer Tommy Spinosa. In 2017, however, Spinosa lost his financing, when the feds shut down his lender on the project. Early this … [Read more...] about Commercial construction at Rouzan begins in June

Blame it on Thomas Edison. His invention of the light bulb some 140 years ago led to a monumental shift in cultural norms, and average sleep times declined from nine to seven hours or less. In all fairness, his invention can’t shoulder all the blame for the fatigue epidemic that’s sweeping the U.S. As 10/12 Industry Report details in a feature from the current issue, expanding waistlines have led to the growing prevalence of sleep apnea, leaving many dazed and confused. Twenty-two million Americans suffer from the problem, and more than 80% of sufferers are undiagnosed, according to data from the American Sleep Apnea Association. Apart from a long list of health-related consequences, lack of sleep can have more far-reaching, catastrophic ramifications for the industrial and transportation sectors. Anyone who operates machinery or watches a process console is a threat to safety when fatigued. A National Safety Council study found that injury risk begins increasing beyond an … [Read more...] about ‘10/12 Industry Report’: How is industry mitigating fatigue-related hazards?

The NFL awarded future Super Bowls to Arizona and New Orleans at its annual spring meeting in Atlanta this morning. The 2023 title game will be played at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, while the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans will be host in 2024. This will be the eighth time the Super Bowl is held at the 43-year-old Superdome, more than any other stadium. Its most recent Super Bowl was in 2013 when the power went out during the second half, delaying the game by 34 minutes. The retractable roof stadium in suburban Phoenix previously held the Super Bowl in 2008 and 2015 . After this season’s game in Atlanta, the next three Super Bowls will be held at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium (2020), Raymond James Stadium in Tampa (2021) and the new Hollywood Park stadium in Los Angeles (2022). … [Read more...] about New Orleans to host its eighth Super Bowl in 2024

Baton Rouge Police Chief Murphy Paul will attempt to increase certain officers’ pay at this afternoon’s Metro Council meeting with a proposed amendment to the department’s 2018 pay plan. Paul wants the deputy chief of police, director of community services, violent crimes unit commander, training services director and narcotics commander to be paid an additional $1.50 per hour for time spent on various assignments, says spokesman Sgt. Don Coppola Jr. The proposal was deferred at last month’s council meeting. The pay raises are part of efforts to reduce violent crime in the city by attracting more qualified applicants for the commanders’ positions, according to Paul’s cover letter for the amendment. Last month, the Metro Council approved a $39,500 study requested by Mayor Sharon Weston Broome and the police chief to analyze local officers’ salaries and benefits compared to other agencies in the region. The study will include both data and … [Read more...] about Baton Rouge police chief wants ‘competitive’ pay for commanders

Somehow, they make it all look so easy. The high-pressure careers. The growing families. The service on local boards and volunteer efforts at area nonprofits. The 2018 Influential Women in Business balance all these demands, and more, with grace and humility. But, of course, it’s not easy—and it hasn’t been a leisurely climb for any of this year’s 10 honorees, all of whom are profiled in the new Business Report cover package. While their personal and career paths are varied, there are a few common threads that emerge when speaking with the honorees about how they’ve reached this point in their lives. They take risks. They persevere in the face of failure. They have strong support networks, both at work and home. They believe in themselves. They are compassionate. They pray. And at the end of a long day, they know how to decompress and recharge for the next challenge that awaits them. Check out the complete profiles of each of this year’s honorees, … [Read more...] about Meet the 2018 Influential Women in Business

Industry advocates were out in force today to support the state’s proposed changes to the embattled Industrial Tax Exemption Program, while opponents urged officials to slow down and clear up ambiguities surrounding how the lucrative tax breaks will be awarded. In a nearly two-hour public hearing before the Louisiana Board of Commerce and Industry this morning, about 20 stakeholders spoke in support, voiced concerns or suggested changes to the state’s newly proposed ITEP rules. The vast majority of those speaking were industry representatives who said they support the revamped measure, though making clear they were not getting everything they wanted. “These changes will improve the way the program operates and make it more attractive to certain industries,” said Jim Patterson, LABI vice president of government relations. “There is a desire for more change. We look forward to continue working to improve the program to make it more palatable.” The … [Read more...] about Another day, another debate over Louisiana’s proposed ITEP changes

East Baton Rouge Parish Public Schools Superintendent Warren Drake wants a full-time police officer at every middle and high school in the parish. When that happens, however, is dependent upon how much money is in the system’s budget. The focus on school safety is more pressing since a shooting at a Santa Fe High School in Texas left 10 dead last Friday, Drake said during today’s Lunch with the Supe event. Along with wanting to have a city police officer or sheriff’s deputy stationed full-time on campuses, Drake said the district is also looking at fencing, lighting and camera options to increase safety. “Safety has to be on the top of our list, and everyone’s list, not just in this room, but across the nation,” he said The school district will also be revisiting its Strategic Plan soon, originally released in 2013, which set a goal that the district would be among the top 10 school districts in the state by 2020. Drake said a committee will be … [Read more...] about Baton Rouge superintendent stresses importance of safety in schools

”What makes this special session different is that we’ve reached the end of the road,” Gov. John Bel Edwards told a capacity crowd today in Lafayette’s Earl K. Long Gym. “This is it.” The governor’s speech kicked off the second special session of the year, which will last for 14 days and be largely confined to grueling tax debates before adjourning on or before June 4. But is it really the “end of the road,” as Edwards put it in his session-opening address? In hushed tones, lawmakers are predicting that adjournment could be followed by the convening of yet another special session. One senator said privately that he warned his family that he could be in Baton Rouge beyond June 4 and a couple representatives claim there are early signs of a stalemate. Rep. Blake Miguez, R-Erath, is one of many lawmakers who are apprehensive about what the next couple weeks could bring, especially if the House restarts the budget process. (Legislators … [Read more...] about Capitol Views: JBE sees the ‘end of the road,’ others not so much