Senator Mack “Bodi” White of District 6 speaks on the 2014 bills, resolutions and study request after at an extended legislative session breakfast.The Lion’s Roar / William Schmidt
 

Louisiana state senator Jack Donahue and other representatives enjoyed a breakfast served in the New Student Union Ballroom as current highlights of the 2014 regular session bills were discussed. 

On Tuesday, June 5, three days after the final adjournment of the regular legislative session, an extended session was held as the highlights of bills, resolutions and study requests set into motion as well as some that failed on the floor were discussed. 

Throughout the regular session, 1,969 bills and 854 resolutions and study requests were filed; 854 of those were sent to the Governor to await his signature. 

According to the ROAR Network, Southeastern is “awaiting final determination of budget allocation [and has] three priorities, which include stable formula funding, retention of GRAD Act tuition increases for reinvestment and a $40 million request for the Working and Innovation for a Stronger Economy (WISE) fund,” which should materialize. 

Over the last five years, one of the main problems for Southeastern has been budget costs which also forced tuition to increase. With the WISE bill, the budget costs will be able to go up for the first time in five years.  

“The schools have been struggling. The budgets have been cut repeatedly each year and it has been stabilized a bit this year,” said representative Timothy “Tim” Burns.

The breakfast also included talk of bills that have been sent to the governor which will affect health care, SNAP, TOPS, STEM projects, K-12 bills, retirement plans and other bills which will have a direct impact on south Louisiana.  

Speakers at the breakfast ensured that careful consideration was taken for the filing of each bill during the session and Representative Chris Broadwater described all the bills that have been filed as “advancing uniqueness and thoughtful bills.”

Though the bills have been filed and sent to the governor, not all outcomes are finalized as of now. The law gives the Governor 20 days to sign, not sign or veto all the legislation that has made it to his office. 

Though legislation has the final say in the bills that pass, students should be aware of the legislative bills that can pass because it will impact their futures not only in higher education but also in all aspects of their life. 

“They need to be involved,” said Burns. “With the Internet, you can know what is going on now and the legislator has a good site. You could pretty much keep up with the issues that affect you and your voice counts in the process.”

You can find information about the state’s representatives and the bills that have been filed as well as information about the legislative process and houses at legis.la.gov.