The 2023 regular session, which is a fiscal one, begins today and among the issues, lawmakers will address is whether to raise the state’s spending cap or not. LaPolitics.com publisher Jeremy Alford said to do so, it will require a two-thirds majority vote in both chambers.
“There’s no guarantee that’s going to happen. And you would think during an election year when lawmakers like to spread money around this would be an easy call but there are many conservatives who are more concerned with putting some money up for a rainy day in the future,” said Alford.
Alford said the state can only spend so much money each year and is quickly approaching the spending cap for the current fiscal year and the next.
And when it comes to money Alford said lawmakers will also debate who should get pay raises and how much of one.
“There are pay raise proposals for teachers, lawmakers, law enforcement, state workers, and others that are going to be debated this year,” said Alford.
Alford said voting on the variety of pay increases this session will be colored because it’s an election year for the majority of the legislators.
Alford said the House Criminal Justice committee will hear several emotional issues, for example, abortion, the death penalty, and tough-on-crime legislation. And among the lawmakers running for reelection Alford said they’ve filed what he likes to call “bumper sticker issue” bills.
“That kind of grab the attention of voters and kind of get them worked up, bills to ban library books, bills that deal with transgender issues,” said Alford.
And because it’s a fiscal session lawmakers can only file five non-fiscal issues this session.
Other headline grabbing bills would ban 18 - 20 year olds from entering bars in Louisiana, ban elementary school children from advancing from third grade to fourth grad if they don't meet minimum reading standards, legalization of marijuana for recreational use and increasing penalties dealing with fentanyl.
