April 22, 2016 Falconer bills take flight Brand new state Rep. Reid Falconer, R-Mandeville, who is an architect and developer, authored two bills relevant to the architecture community. Those bills are HB 472, which deals with the Louisiana Architecture Education and Research Fund, and HB 532, which deals with the powers and authority of the Louisiana State Board of Architectural Examiners. Both bills made it out of House Commerce and passed off the … Continue reading Legislative Update→
With a vote Gov. John Bel Edwards considers to be a good start for two bills crucial to his legislative agenda, a Louisiana Senate committee today approved legislation that would raise the state’s minimum wage and enforce pay equality across gender gaps. Edwards, in a rare move for a standing governor, personally testified before the Senate Committee on Labor and Industrial Relations where he promoted the bills as fair and good for family values. The bills would help lift women and children out of … Continue reading Capitol Views: Senate Committee Approves Minimum Wage, Equal Pay Bills→
It’s over Louisiana’s 2015 regular legislative session ended last Thursday at 6pm, and it’s a good thing it’s finally over. What do you get when you mix a term-limited governor, nearly 30 term-limited legislators, and a $1.6 billion budget deficit? I’m still not sure, but I think it’s called the SAVE Act (more on that here). This legislative session proved to be one of the roughest, most tax-happy exercises in Louisiana politics in a very long time. Over the past few years much has been made … Continue reading 2015 End of Session Wrap-up→
House-passed bills designed to increase tax revenue for next fiscal year will be heard in Senate Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Committee next Monday morning (click here to view the agenda). The full House will debate and is expected to pass the state’s operating budget (HB 1 by Rep. Jim Fannin, R-Jonesboro) next Thursday, May 21. As the fiscal mess heads to the Senate for additional deliberation one thing continues to become clear: whatever passes this year is paving the way for a special session early … Continue reading Financial Fiasco Continues→
Leadership in the House of Representatives saw fit last week to muscle through passage of possibly the largest tax increase in Louisiana history via a package of bills sponsored by a range of authors (total value of the package is around $677 million). Partisan politics were somewhat set aside as leadership urged passage of 11 major bills off the House floor. Yes there was some resistance, but the message from leadership was clear: the package of bills was going to pass regardless of opposition. When … Continue reading House reveals its newfound love for tax increases→
The state’s $1.6 billion deficit continues to heavily shape the debate at the Capitol this session. House Speaker Chuck Kleckley, R-Lake Charles, indicated last week that a “package of bills had been assembled” designed to solve the budget deficit. Kleckley indicated he’s been working with the Senate leadership and House members to develop “options and consensus.” Last week the House Ways and Means Committee continued passing to the House floor nearly every bill before it that would have the effect of increasing revenue. Even though a few of the bills reported from Ways and Means are … Continue reading Legislative Update→
We urge your support for HB 387 and SB 150, both of which will extend our state’s Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credits, so that they can continue delivering important impacts throughout our entire state, from small towns to big cities. Louisiana is consistently among the top states nationally in historic rehabilitation, in large part due to our highly effective state Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credits, and it is important to continue that success. Our state’s Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credits are proven successes that induce significant private … Continue reading AIA Louisiana Urges Support of Historic Tax Credits→
By Tom Ichniowski Congress has approved a narrowly focused measure that aims to encourage—but not require—commercial buildings owners and tenants to improve their facilities’ energy efficiency. Final congressional action on the bill came on April 21, when the House passed it under suspension of the chamber’s rules. The Senate approved the legislation on March 27, which next goes to the White House for President Obama’s expected signature. The bill’s sponsor, Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), termed it “good for the economy and good for the environment.” … Continue reading Congress Clears Bill to Improve Buildings’ Energy Efficiency→
