Katrina Legislation Tracking

Education Spotlight and Housing Rights

2006-07-13T07:34:00.000-07:00

Katrina Legislation Tracking
Thursday , July 13, 2006

In This Update
* Education Spotlight
- Children’s Defense Fund Report
- McKinney-Vento Act Summary
* Issue Brief on Housing Rights from NESRI
* Housing Advocates Call on City Council and HUD for Answers

Education Spotlight
This email update profiles KLT’s new attention to children’s issues and education issues for Katrina survivors.

Children’s Defense Fund Releases Report on the Children of Hurricane Katrina
The Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) has published a report; Katrina’s Children: A Call to Conscience and Action, which outlines a nine-step call to action, stories of children personally impacted, and data on the status of children in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Texas, and nationwide, prior to the devastation in the Gulf Coast Region.

In her introduction, CDF’s President, Marian Wright Edelman calls the relief effort for Katrina’s children, “America’s morality test” and passionately urges the country to make children, in particular the children victims of Hurricane Katrina, the country’s first priority.

In her meetings with children and families in the gulf coast region, Edelman found that the survivors had two simple requests, the need for hope and the need to feel as though they had not been forgotten. In an effort to ensure the fulfillment of those requests, CDF has established Katrina Child Watch visits as well as worked to mobilize and organize various agencies and individuals to assist in meeting emergency mental health, health and education crises.

CDF also outlines a nine-step call to action for those who want to get involved in mobilizing and organizing relief efforts.

CDF’s Call to Action for Katrina’s Children
(1) Provide immediate emergency mental health and health services to children and their families struggling to cope with the trauma of Katrina including: an Emergency Children’s Health and Mental Health Corps; School-based Health Clinics with easy access for children; Mobile Health Vans with trained personnel every day of the week to help traumatized children and families; Emergency Medicaid for 24 months, including the full federal funding proposed in the bipartisan Grassley-Baucus Bill; Increasing Community Outreach and Rebuilding Community Health Centers and Hospitals that serve the poor in areas where the health infrastructure and personnel have been decimated.

(2) Ensure every child in Katrina-affected states a quality public education and after school and summer educational supports to help them make up for lost time and overcome previous and continuing school disparities.

(3) Join CDF’s campaign to ensure every Katrina evacuee child and every uninsured child in the United States— from birth to adulthood—comprehensive health and mental health coverage now with a national benefit floor with full federal funding.

(4) Join Katrina Child Watch™ visits to let these children and families know that we care and have not forgotten them, and to let our leaders know that we will not cease until they act.

(5) Demand that our leaders at all levels and sectors pay as much attention to constructing strong health, mental health, education and family support levees for Katrina’s children in school, after school and in summer months as they pay to constructing levees strong enough to withstand another Katrina level hurricane. And demand that our leaders prepare better to prevent and respond competently to future disasters.

(6) Organize a Wednesdays in Washington® and Wednesdays At Home® witness, phone, letter writing and email campaigns and visits to your political leaders demanding mental health and health care for Katrina children now and a comprehensive health system for all children as a condition of your vote in November 2006. Also demand they stop and reverse the revenue hemorrhage from massive tax cuts for the top 2 percent of Americans, and all budget cuts in safety net programs for children and the poor that increase our nation’s human and budget deficits.

(7) Pray for Katrina children and families and for
leaders of integrity who will work for justice for children and the whole community rather than for themselves and partisan political interests. Lift up the needs of children in your regular prayer meetings and prayer circles and through participation in CDF’s annual National Observance of Children’s Sabbath® celebrations, October 20-22, 2006, with an action witness for child health coverage.

(8) Demand investment in a quality integrated early childhood development system to help break the cycle of poverty, get every child ready to learn, and provide them the comprehensive support they need to avoid the Cradle to Prison Pipeline™ Crisis.

(9) Vote. Vote. Vote. Organize. Organize. Organize. Hold yourself and your political leaders accountable for how they vote for children.

For additional information on CDF and their children’s hurricane relief efforts go to http://www.childrensdefense.org/.

McKinney-Vento Report
The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11431 et seq.) has been important in facilitating education of children and youths displaced by Hurricane Katrina. The Act, which was reauthorized in 2002, sets forth federal requirements that schools must adhere to in order to meet the educational requirements of homeless children.

The Act’s definition of ‘homeless’ includes individuals who lack a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence; thus it applies to students displaced by Hurricane Katrina. The Act requires that schools provide homeless students with the same educational resources it provides for other students, including transportation, meals and counseling services.

The Act loosens the documentation required before enrolling a student, so that displaced children will not be barred from attending school due to inability to produce a birth certificate, doctor’s forms, or other paperwork. The Act aims to foster continuity and stability for homeless students, and thus prevents schools from segregating homeless students. The full text of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act may be found here:
http://www.ed.gov/policy/elsec/leg/esea02/pg116.html

In March 2006, Congress passed The College Access and Opportunity Act (H.R. 609), which aims to increase access to higher education for low and middle-income students. Also passed was an amendment that allows unaccompanied youths who qualify as homeless under the McKinney-Vento Act to file as independent students for purposes of financial aid. Generally, students must include their parents’ financial information when applying for federal aid. However, allowing students to file as independent will facilitate the application process for homeless students who do not receive support from their parents, but who would have difficulty producing the required documents.
More information about H.R. 609 may be found here:
http://www.house.gov/ed_workforce/issues/109th/education/hea/hea.htm

Housing Advocates Call on City Council and HUD for Answers
On Wednesday, June 28th, housing advocates nationwide called on the New Orleans City Council to ask tough questions about public housing. In their letter, advocates provided City Council members a list of questions and a summary of the limited information already available. The letter is attached. Any updates from the City Council will be included in future emails.

Access to Adequate Housing for Hurricane Survivors is a Fundamental Human Right
The National and Economic Social Rights Initiative (NESRI) released a new issue brief “The Human Right to Housing: Access for Survivors in the Gulf.” The issue brief analyzes standards under international human rights law requiring access to affordable and decent housing, including specific protections for internally displaced persons and survivors of disaster, and details violations of this right in the wake of hurricanes Katrina and Rita. .

NESRI’s issue brief explains that, “At minimum, no hurricane survivor should be without a home and must be assisted to return or resettle elsewhere. During this process, the government has the obligation to ensure that transitional and long-term housing arrangements incorporate the key components of the right to housing, which include:”
* Security of tenure
* Availability of services and facilities
* Affordability
* Habitability
* Accessibility
* Location
* Cultural adequacy

To see the entire issue brief, please visit NESRI’s webpage.

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Contribute Information
If you or your organization is tracking legislation or related policy items, please email katrinalegislation@gmail.com to include your analysis in our email updates. We depend on the analysis of contributing organizations to provide as much information as possible to our network. Please share your analysis with our network! Contact katrinalegislation@gmail.com with any questions.

Join Email List
To add yourself to our email distribution list, please email katrinalegislation.subscribe@gmail.com. Your email address will be added to our list as soon as possible.

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About
Katrina Legislation Tracking is a collaborative effort to distribute Katrina-related policy news from a streamlined source. Our goal is to make action easy by keeping information on proposed legislation all in one place. We aim to inform and learn from grassroots networks and advocates about changes in local, state and federal policy that might impact Hurricane Katrina survivors. We believe that public policies should correct the race, class and gender inequalities that contributed to Hurricane Katrina’s devastation.

Katrina Legislation Tracking is a partnership effort between the National Economic and Social Rights Initiative, the Katrina Information Network, the Praxis Project, the Brennan Center for Justice, the Partnership for Working Families, the Student Hurricane Network and Law Students for Human Rights at NYU School of Law and a growing number of progressive organizations.

Public Housing in New Orleans - June 16th, 2006

2006-06-16T11:50:00.000-07:00

Katrina Legislation Tracking
Friday, June 16, 2006

In This Update
* End of Louisiana General Session
* New Orleans City Council Meeting on HUD and Public Housing
* Congressional Appropriations for CDBG
* Comment Period for Louisiana Economic Development and Infrastructure Plan
* In the News

End of Louisiana General Session
The Louisiana General Session will end on Monday, June 19th. The session began on March 27th. Bills were recently passed on consolidating the New Orleans court system and the assessors. Goto The Times-Picayune’s Baton Rouge coverage for more information. Or, check out our In the News section below.

New Orleans City Council Meeting on Public Housing
On Thursday, June 15, 2006, the Housing and Human Needs Committee of the New Orleans City Council called a last minute public meeting. The meeting was in response to HUD’s Wednesday announcement that four public housing developments in New Orleans would be torn down.

After opening statements by HUD officials, former public housing residents expressed their frustration with this plan. Among other complaints, many residents criticized HUD for not consulting residents themselves in making this plan.

Unlike HUD, Councilmember Oliver Thomas saw HUD’s Wednesday announcement simply as the beginning of negotiations between HUD, the city and public housing residents.

The four developments are St. Bernard, C.J. Peete, B.W. Cooper and Lafitte. Between them, they comprised 5,000 public housing units that were occupied before Hurricane Katrina.

Another City Council meeting on public housing issues was promised within the next two weeks.

Scott Keller, Deputy Chief of Staff for HUD, and Donald Babers, HANO Recovery Advisor, represented HUD at the meeting.

Congressional Appropriations for CDBG – The Road Home
Congress finally passed its secondary appropriations bill, which fully funded The Road Home plan in Louisiana at $10 billion total. The federal funding is through the community development block grant (CDBG) program administered by HUD.

Katrina Legislation Tracking will be providing more information on The Road Home in the future – if you have any information, please email us at katrinalegislation@gmail.com

Comment Period for Louisiana Economic Development and Infrastructure Plan
PolicyLink, a non-profit advocacy organization, is calling on organizations and individuals to comment on Louisiana’s plan for Economic Development and Infrastructure.

Please lend your expertise to ensuring the equitable distribution of disaster recovery funds under a Proposed Action Plan approved for public comment by the Louisiana Recovery Authority (LRA). The plan ($670.5 million) describes the proposed use of over $170 million for economic development and $500 million for infrastructure.

Commenting is easy. Simply click on this link: http://www.doa.la.gov/cdbg/DR/Action_Plan_comment_form.pdf. Then fill out the form, and submit it online. The action plan, which is attached, along with a summary provided by the LRA, is only about 17 pages.

The public comment period is 10 days, ending June 18, and we are requesting that your organizations review the proposed action plan and fill out a comment form as promptly as possible. The action plans propose the expenditure of $170.5 million for four economic development programs which include:
$95 million for a Long Term Recovery Loan Program to leverage an estimated $550 million in funding for fixed assets, equipment, and working capital;
$38 million for a Small Firm Recovery Loan and Grant Program targeting firms that do not qualify for conventional financing and/or loans from the Small Business Administration;
$28 million for a Louisiana Tourism Recovery Program to revive the second largest industry in the state, in terms of employment; and
$9.5 million to provide technical assistance to small firms seeking to recover in a changed, post-storms marketplace or to start new businesses in the impacted communities.

In The News
Senate approves money for hurricane recovery
By Bruce Alpert – Times Picayune

Four N.O. housing developments will be demolished
But 1,000 other units to reopen by August
6/15: By Gwen Filosa – Times Picayune

Disaster communications bill dies
6/15: By WILL SENTELL – The Advocate
Blanco wins major victory with N.O. consolidation plans
6/15 By DOUG SIMPSON - Associated Press Writer

Blanco fights for coast
Letter protests sale of Gulf leases for oil, gas exploration
6/15: By MICHELLE MILLHOLLON – The Advocate

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Contribute Information
If you or your organization is tracking legislation included in the Special Session, please email katrinalegislation@gmail.com to include your analysis in our email updates. We depend on the analysis of contributing organizations to provide as much information as possible to our network. Please share your analysis with our network! Contact katrinalegislation@gmail.com with any questions.

Join Email List
To add yourself to our email distribution list, please email katrinalegislation.subscribe@gmail.com. Your email address will be added to our list as soon as possible.

+++
About
Katrina Legislation Tracking is a collaborative effort to distribute Katrina-related policy news from a streamlined source. Our goal is to make action easy by keeping information on proposed legislation all in one place. We aim to inform and learn from grassroots networks and advocates about changes in local, state and federal policy that might impact Hurricane Katrina survivors. We believe that public policies should correct the race, class and gender inequalities that contributed to Hurricane Katrina’s devastation.

Katrina Legislation Tracking is a partnership effort between the National Economic and Social Rights Initiative, the Katrina Information Network, the Praxis Project, the Brennan Center for Justice, the Partnership for Working Families, Law Students for Human Rights at NYU School of Law and a growing number of progressive organizations.

Elections and The Road Home

2006-04-21T16:41:00.000-07:00

Katrina Legislation Tracking
Friday, April 21, 2006

This email tracks two major events affecting New Orleans’ future – the Orleans Parish Elections and The Road Home Housing Plan. These events will likely impact future legislation and policy decisions impacting Katrina survivors, and Katrina Legislation Tracking will continue to provide updates on these issues.

In this Update
- Orleans Parish Elections – Saturday 4/22!
- The Road Home Housing Plan: LRA Vote on 4/26.
- Subscribe to KIN Action Alerts
- In The News

Elections
Orleans Parish Election Day is Saturday, April 22nd. Polls are open from 6:00am – 8:00pm. The ballot includes candidates for New Orleans City Council positions and Mayor of New Orleans. A list of polling places are here.

Voters Bill of Rights from the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.
- If you are a registered voter who has been displaced as a result of Hurricane Katrina or Rita, you have the right to vote in your home parish if you have not registered to vote in another parish or state.
- If voters are in line by 8:00pm, then they have the right to vote
- You have the right to vote without presenting any photo identification to election officials – instead, you must sign an affidavit and verify your identity.
- If you have been convicted of a felony, your right to vote is automatically restored upon completion of all periods of incarceration, probation or parole.

The Road Home Housing Plan
The Louisiana Recovery Authority will vote on The Road Home Housing Plan on Wednesday, April 26th from 1-4pm. At this meeting, the LRA will consider suggestions submitted during the notice and comment period.

Once the LRA approves the amended plan, it will be sent to the Louisiana State Legislature for their consideration. More updates on the Legislature’s consideration will be forthcoming.

Anyone can attend the LRA meeting this Wednesday. Details are:

LRA Board Meeting: The Road Home Housing Program – Get Directions.
Wednesday, April 26th; 1-4pm
Baton Rouge Community College, Louisiana Board Room
5310 Florida Boulevard
Baton Rouge, LA

Katrina Information Network Action Alerts
The Katrina Information Network provides regular updates and action alerts about policy decisions affecting Katrina-survivors.

"Take a 30 second weekly action with Katrina Information Network until we win real relief, a just recovery, and nothing less!"

Subscribe for alerts by visiting:
http://www.katrinaaction.org/joinourefforts

In The News
4/21: Deadline to Gut Homes is Set
Bruge Eggler, Times-Picayune

4/21: For Hurricane Victims, a Flawed System
Ron Nixon and Leslie Eaton, The NY Times

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Contribute Information
If you or your organization is tracking legislation included in the Special Session, please email katrinalegislation@gmail.com to include your analysis in our email updates. We depend on the analysis of contributing organizations to provide as much information as possible to our network. Please share your analysis with our network! Contact katrinalegislation@gmail.com with any questions.

Join Email List
To add yourself to our email distribution list, please email katrinalegislation.subscribe@gmail.com. Your email address will be added to our list as soon as possible.

+++
About
Katrina Legislation Tracking is a collaborative effort to distribute Katrina-related policy news from a streamlined source. Our goal is to make action easy by keeping information on proposed legislation all in one place. We aim to inform and learn from grassroots networks and advocates about changes in local, state and federal policy that might impact Hurricane Katrina survivors. We believe that public policies should correct the race, class and gender inequalities that contributed to Hurricane Katrina’s devastation.

Katrina Legislation Tracking is a partnership effort between the National Economic and Social Rights Initiative, the Katrina Information Network, the Praxis Project, the Brennan Center for Justice, the Partnership for Working Families, Law Students for Human Rights at NYU School of Law and a growing number of progressive organizations.

The Road Home: Housing Update

2006-04-10T08:55:00.000-07:00

Katrina Legislation Tracking
Saturday, April 08, 2006

On Thursday, the Louisiana Recovery Authority released “The Road Home” Housing Programs Action Plan. “The Road Home” is a housing plan that proposes how Louisiana should spend current and future Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding from the federal government. “The Road Home” currently budgets for over $8 billion dollars in federal funding for housing in hurricane affected areas in Louisiana.
- To view the full plan, please visit here.
- Katrina Legislation Tracking will send out more information about “The Road Home” next week.

This plan is not yet final! Comments from the public are still needed! There is time for New Orleans residents and organizations to comment on how Louisiana plans to spend this money.

Come out to one of the Community Meetings on “The Road Home” next Wednesday, April 12th. The Louisiana Recovery Authority is holding these meetings on the 12th to hear comments from the public:

Community Meetings on The Road Home Housing Plan
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
3-9 pm

Southeast Louisiana
New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts (NOCCA Riverside)
2800 Chartres Street
New Orleans

Southwest Louisiana
Lake Charles Civic Center
900 Lakeshore Drive
Lake Charles

The comment period ends on Monday, April 17th, which makes these community meetings an important way to voice your opinion. Once the comment period ends on April 17th, “The Road Home” will be sent to the Louisiana State Legislature for final passage.

For more information about “The Road Home”, please visit: www.louisianarebuilds.info

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Contribute Information
If you or your organization is tracking legislation included in the Special Session, please email katrinalegislation@gmail.com to include your analysis in our email updates. We depend on the analysis of contributing organizations to provide as much information as possible to our network. Please share your analysis with our network! Contact katrinalegislation@gmail.com with any questions.

Join Email List
To add yourself to our email distribution list, please email katrinalegislation.subscribe@gmail.com. Your email address will be added to our list as soon as possible.

+++
About
Katrina Legislation Tracking is a collaborative effort to distribute Katrina-related policy news from a streamlined source. Our goal is to make action easy by keeping information on proposed legislation all in one place. We aim to inform and learn from grassroots networks and advocates about changes in local, state and federal policy that might impact Hurricane Katrina survivors. We believe that public policies should correct the race, class and gender inequalities that contributed to Hurricane Katrina’s devastation.

Katrina Legislation Tracking is a partnership effort between the National Economic and Social Rights Initiative, the Katrina Information Network, the Praxis Project, the Brennan Center for Justice, the Partnership for Working Families, Law Students for Human Rights at NYU School of Law and a growing number of progressive organizations.

Special Session Summary

2006-02-21T18:25:00.000-08:00

Louisiana Special Session
Tuesday, 21st of February, 2006

THE LAST DAY OF THE SPECIAL SESSION WAS FEBRUARY 17, 2006.
THE REGULAR LEGISLATIVE SESSION WILL CONVENE ON MONDAY, MARCH 27, 2006.

Katrina Legislation Tracking monitored the Louisiana Special Session from February 6-17, 2006. These two weeks have been a critical time to make sure the voices of Katrina survivors and advocates are heard. This email series has tracked how the Special Session will affect the post-Katrina rebuilding of Louisiana.

Today’s Contents
* Bills that Passed on Friday
* Bills that Died: Housing and Government Reorganization
* In the News
* Requests for Analysis

The Following Bills Passed on Thursday and Friday
LEVEES
SB8: Passed as Amended
Reorganizes the governance and structure of levee districts by creating and providing for two regional flood protection authorities in southeast Louisiana, one district for each side of the Mississippi. The east bank’s board will include St. Bernard, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, St. John the Baptist, St. James and Jefferson parishes, plus most of New Orleans. The western board would include the west bank portions of Jefferson Parish and New Orleans .

HB47 : Passed as Amended
Provides for the consolidation of certain levee districts operating in Lafourche Parish

HB49 : Passed as Amended
Authorizes Jefferson Parish to let design-build contracts for hurricane protection and flood control projects

SB4 : Passed as Amended
Creates and provides for the Coastal Louisiana Levee Consortium.

ELECTIONS
HB12: Senate Amendments adopted in the House, 66 to 32.
Allows registered voters temporarily displaced by a gubernatorially declared state of emergency who have registered by mail to vote absentee by mail without first voting in person at the polls or appearing or voting at the registrar’s office

SB22 : Passed as Amended
Requires availability of early voting at the office of the registrar in any parish with a population of 104,000 for eligible voters in a municipal election conducted pursuant to an approved emergency plan

SB50 : Passed as Amended
Applies certain absentee voting provisions for U.S. servicemen or persons residing outside the U.S. to persons temporarily displaced by the recent common disaster and state of emergency

HB27: Passed as Amended
Changes the election date from April 29, 2006, to September 30, 2006, for the submission of the proposed constitutional amendment contained in Act No. 70 of the 2005 First Extraordinary Session of the Legislature

HB28 : Passed without Amendments
Repeals provisions for a special statewide election on April 29, 2006

HB29 : Passed without Amendments
Changes the election date from April 29, 2006, to September 30, 2006, for the submission of the proposed constitutional amendment contained in Act No. 69 of the 2005 First Extraordinary Session of the Legislature

BANKS/BANKING
SB31: Passed as Amended
Revises provisions requiring certain insurance settlement payments on residential property damage claims to be placed in interest-bearing accounts.

COURTS
SB3 : Passed without Amendments
Extends the deadline for letting public bids for construction of a new facility to house the Nineteenth Judicial District Court

ETHICS
HB6 : Passed as Amended
Allows a public employee who was affected by a disaster or emergency to accept contributions or donations from certain not-for-profit organizations or funds within certain not-for-profit organizations

GOVERNMENT BONDS
HB90: Passed without Amendments
Provides relative to the limitation on net state tax supported debt for bonds issued to provide relief from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

HB93: Passed as Amended
Authorizes state to issue bonds to provide relief from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and implement certain bond provisions of the Gulf Opportunity Zone Act of 2005

GOVERNMENT REORGANIZATION
SB9 : Passed as Amended
Constitutional amendment to provide for the establishment of regional flood protection authorities

HB59: Passed as Amended
Creates the Louisiana Recovery Authority

HB61: Passed as Amended
Provides for the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness as an agency in the governor’s office reporting directly to the governor

HB70: Passed as Amended
Requires the office of emergency preparedness to develop a comprehensive and coordinated evacuation plan for all coastal and hurricane-prone parishes
HB88: Passed as Amended
Provides for duties of the state office of homeland security and emergency preparedness

INSURANCE/PROPERTY
HB1 : Passed without Amendments
Changes period of time from one hundred twenty days to sixty days for owners to contest the acquisition of abandoned property which was adjudicated to political subdivisions more than five years previously

HB2 : Passed without Amendments
Authorizes the Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corporation to seek and accept federal Community Development Block Grant monies to pay bonds and obligations caused by hurricanes in 2005

HB4 : Passed as Amended
Requires that settlement payments on claims arising under homeowners’ insurance policies be placed in interest-earning escrow accounts

HB17 : Passed as Amended
Prohibits the automatic exclusion of certain coverages under a homeowner’s policy for damages due to a declared disaster

HB40: Passed without Amendments
Provides relative to acquisitive prescription of blighted property

HB46 : Passed as Amended
Limits certain assessment procedures for property damaged by disaster or emergency declared by the storm

HB97: Passed without Amendments
Provides for disclosures of the terms of homeowners’ policies by insurers

MUNICIPALITIES
SB32: Passed without Amendments
Provides alternate procedure for amending a home rule charter

REVENUE SHARING
HB3 : Passed without Amendments
Provides relative to the FY 2005-2006 distribution of revenue sharing allocations in Orleans, Jefferson, Plaquemines, and St. Bernard parishes

SCHOOLS
SB2 : Passed without Amendments
Delays from 2006 to 2007 the election of school board members in certain parishes and reduces from four years to three years the terms of those elected in 2007

TAX
HB60: Passed as Amended
Provides that barges are subject to the exemption for ships and ships’ supplies

HB18: Finally Passed without Amendments
Changes the effectiveness provision in Act No. 30 of the 2005 First Extraordinary Session of the Legislature

HB21 : Passed as Amended
Authorizes certain casualty loss deductions for 2004 tax year

UNEMPLOYMENT COMP.
SB1: Passed as Amended
Provides for reimbursement of unemployment compensation benefits charged to state and local governments and eligible nonprofit organizations during a gubernatorially declared disaster or emergency

Major Legislation Left Outstanding at the End of the Session
HOUSING
SB49 Passed in the Senate, Stalled in the House
Creates the Louisiana Housing and Land Trust Corporation.
After the failure of SB49, Governor Blanco announced a new housing plan at a meeting of the Louisiana Recovery Authority on February 20, 2006.

GOVERNMENT REORGANIZATION
A number of related government consolidation bills did not make it out of the House Judiciary and Ways and Means Committees:

HB37 Creates one clerk of court for Orleans Parish and provides for abolition of certain offices and consolidation in the office of the clerk of court.

HB50 (Constitutional Amendment) Provides for a single assessor in Orleans Parish

HB51 Provides for a single assessor in Orleans Parish

HB54 Consolidates the offices of the civil and criminal sheriffs of the parish of Orleans

HB57 Provides for the consolidation of Orleans Parish district courts and clerks, sheriffs, and other judicial officials and officers of Orleans Parish

In the News
How Major Issues Fared in Louisiana’s Special Legislative Session
The Associated Press, Friday, February 17, 2006

Backers Fail to Revive Blanco Housing Bill
The Associated Press, Friday, February 17, 2006

Lawmakers wrap up work Friday on hurricane recovery session
The Associated Press, Friday, February 17, 2006

Governor Blanco on special session: ‘Reform and recovery claimed victory’
Friday, February 17, 2006

New Orleans rebuilding plan takes shape
Reuters, Monday, February 20, 2006

Setting our sights on politics as usual
The Times-Picayune, Sunday, February 19, 2006

Editorial: Thank you, Sen. Boasso
The Times-Picayune, Saturday, February 18, 2006

Governor’s housing trust bill dies
Laura Maggi, The Times-Picayune, Saturday, February 18, 2006

Will La. levee reform satisfy Congress?
Doug Simpson, AP, Sunday, February 19, 2006

In move to change, Louisiana will consolidate levee boards
NY Times, Friday, February 17, 2006

House report cites hurricane failures
Spencer Hsu, Washington Post, Thursday, February 16, 2006

A Failure of Initiative: Final Report of the Select Bipartisan Committee to Investigate the Preparation for and Response to Hurricane Katrina
U.S. Government Printing Office, February 15, 2006

Request for Analysis
Contribute Information
If you or your organization has any analysis regarding federal Katrina legislation or State legislation for the regular 2006 Legislative Session, please email katrinalegislation@gmail.com. We depend on the analysis of contributing organizations to provide as much information as possible to our network. Please share your analysis with our network! Contact katrinalegislation@gmail.com with any questions.

Join Email List
To add yourself to our email distribution list, please email katrinalegislation.subscribe@gmail.com. Your email address will be added to our list as soon as possible.

+++
About
Katrina Legislation Tracking is a collaborative effort to distribute Katrina-related policy news from a streamlined source. Our goal is to make action easy by keeping information on proposed legislation all in one place. We aim to inform and learn from grassroots networks and advocates about changes in local, state and federal policy that might impact Hurricane Katrina survivors. We believe that public policies should correct the race, class and gender inequalities that contributed to Hurricane Katrina’s devastation.

Katrina Legislation Tracking is a partnership effort between the National Economic and Social Rights Initiative, the Katrina Information Network, the Praxis Project, the Brennan Center for Justice, the Partnership for Working Families, Law Students for Human Rights at NYU School of Law and a growing number of progressive organizations.

Katrina Legislation Tracking

2006-02-17T07:08:00.000-08:00

Katrina Legislation Tracking

Friday Update
Louisiana Special Session
Friday, February 17, 2006

TODAY IS THE LAST DAY OF THE SPECIAL SESSION!!!

Katrina Legislation Tracking is monitoring the Louisiana Special Session from February 6-17, 2006. These two weeks are a critical time to make sure the voices of Katrina survivors and advocates are heard. This email series is tracking how the Special Session will affect the post-Katrina rebuilding of Louisiana.

Today's Contents
· Friday’s Committee Hearings
· Democracy Now! Links
· In the News· Wednesday Bill Action
· Request for Analysis

Friday’s Committee Hearings
The House will convene at 10:00 AM
The Senate will convene at 11:00 AM

Senate Committee Hearings:
Senate Local & Municipal Affairs Committee, 9 am
Entergy New Orleans, new Orleans Sewage and Water Board, BellSouth, New Orleans Mayor’s Office

Senate & Governmental Affairs Committee, 10 am
Receive Reports from FEMA, Department of Environmental Quality Relative to Debris from Hurricanes and Debris Contractors; Entergy, New Orleans City Council, Shaw, Fluor

Revenue Estimating Conference, 6 pm
Review and revise the Official Revenue Forecast for FY 05-06 as necessary; review and revise the Official Revenue Forecast for FY 06-07 as necessary; recognize monies available for appropriation from the Budget Stabilization Fund as authorized by SCR 12 of the 2005 First Extraordinary Session of the Legislature

Joint Committee Hearings:
Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget, 8 am:
Fiscal Status Statement and Five-Year Base-Line Budget, BA-7 Agenda, Facility Planning and Control- Capital Outlay Items, Approval of Deputy Sheriffs’ back Supplemental Pay, Presentation by the Louisiana State University Health Science Center- New Orleans and Shreveport and the Health Care Services Division on the Current Fiscal Status and the Overall Status of the Recovery from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

Joint Transportation, Highways & Public Works Committee, 9:30 am
To approve two DOTD design-build projects

Democracy Now! Links
*Georgia Rep. Cynthia McKinney Blasts Government For Creating New Underclass of Katrina Homeless*
The House select committee examining the federal response to Hurricane Katrina recently released a 600-page report criticizing all levels of government for the disaster. Democrats had refused to be involved in the committee officially, but a few participated informally and released their own supplementary reports. Listen/Watch/Read Democracy Now! speak with Georgia Congressmember Cynthia McKinney, one of the participating Democrats.

* FEMA Fails Katrina Evacuees on Housing: Hotel Evictions Continue, Promises of Trailers and Rental Assistance Unmet*
Homeland Security Chief Michael Chertoff spoke about the ongoing hotel evictions of Hurricane Katrina evacuees during his testimony before the bi-partisan Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Listen/Watch/Read Democracy Now! speak with attorneys Bill Quigley and Tracie Washington, who represent a number of evacuees staying in hotels and facing eviction, and also an evacuee, about the ongoing housing crisis.

* Are New Orleans Evacuees Being Denied the Right to Vote?*
Listen/Watch/Read Democracy Now! look at how Hurricane Katrina is affecting the political power of New Orleans residents. Upcoming local elections will include a race for mayor with only one black candidate incumbent Ray Nagin. Lawyers have filed a lawsuit alleging Louisiana’s emergency election plan will disenfranchise thousands of displaced voters, the majority of whom are African-American.

In the News
Satellite Voting Bill Gets Final Legislative Passage
The Associated Press, Thursday, February 16, 2006
Re: HB12 and SB22

Blanco, Lawmakers Scramble to Wrap Up Work By Friday Session End
The Associated Press, Thursday, February 16, 2006

Blanco-backed Levee Plan Close to Final Legislative Passage
The Associated Press, Thursday, February 16, 2006
Re: HB25, HB44, HB52, HB72, HB84, HB86, SB8, SB9 and SB11

Blanco Home Buyout Bill Derailed
The Associated Press, Thursday, February 16, 2006
Re: SB49

A look at the vote on Senate Bill 49
The Associated Press, Thursday, February 16, 2006

Notes and Quotes from the Louisiana Legislature
The Associated Press, Thursday, February 16, 2006
Re: HB59, HB28, HB93, HB61, SB4

Thursday Bill Action House
ETHICS
HB6: Enrolled and signed by the Speaker of the House
Allows a public employee who was affected by a disaster or emergency to accept contributions or donations from certain not-for-profit organizations or funds within certain not-for-profit organizations

ELECTIONS
HB12: Enrolled and signed by the Speaker of the House
Allows registered voters temporarily displaced by a gubernatorially declared state of emergency who have registered by mail to vote absentee by mail without first voting in person at the polls or appearing or voting at the registrar's office

TAX
HB60: Concurred in Senate Amendments
Provides that barges are subject to the exemption for ships and ships' suppliesLevees

LEVEES
SB8: Ordered to Senate- Pending Senate Concurrence
Reorganizes the governance and structure of certain levee districts by creating and providing for a regional flood protection authority in southeast Louisiana.

GOVERNMENT REORGANIZATION
SB9: Ordered to Senate- Pending Senate Concurrence
Constitutional amendment to provide for the establishment of regional flood protection authoritiesSenate

UNEMPLOYMENT COMP
SB1: Enrolled and Signed by President of the Senate
Provides for reimbursement of unemployment compensation benefits charged to state and local governments and eligible nonprofit organizations during a gubernatorially declared disaster or emergency

SCHOOLS
SB2: Enrolled and signed by the President of the Senate
Delays from 2006 to 2007 the election of school board members in certain parishes and reduces from four years to three years the terms of those elected in 2007

COURTS
SB3: Enrolled and signed by the President of the Senate
Extends the deadline for letting public bids for construction of a new facility to house the Nineteenth Judicial District Court

LEVEES
SB4: Enrolled and Signed by President of the Senate
Creates and provides for the Coastal Louisiana Levee Consortium

HB47: Ordered to House- Pending House Concurrence
Provides for the consolidation of certain levee districts operating in Lafourche Parish

HB49: Ordered to House- Pending House Concurrence
Authorizes Jefferson Parish to let design-build contracts for hurricane protection and flood control projects

VOTERS/VOTING
SB22: Enrolled and Signed by the President of the Senate
Requires availability of early voting at the office of the registrar in any parish with a population of 104,000 for eligible voters in a municipal election conducted pursuant to an approved emergency plan

SB50: Enrolled and Signed by the President of the Senate
Applies certain absentee voting provisions for U.S. servicemen or persons residing outside the U.S. to persons temporarily displaced by the recent common disaster and state of emergency

HB27: Ordered to House- Pending House Concurrence
Changes the election date from April 29, 2006, to September 30, 2006, for the submission of the proposed constitutional amendment contained in Act No. 70 of the 2005 First Extraordinary Session of the Legislature

HB28: Ordered to House- Pending House Concurrence
Repeals provisions for a special statewide election on April 29, 2006

HB29: Finally Passed without Amendments
Changes the election date from April 29, 2006, to September 30, 2006, for the submission of the proposed constitutional amendment contained in Act No. 69 of the 2005 First Extraordinary Session of the Legislature

BANKS/BANKING
SB31: Enrolled and Signed by President of the Senate
Revises provisions requiring certain insurance settlement payments on residential property damage claims to be placed in interest-bearing accounts.

MUNICIPALITIES
SB32: Enrolled and Signed by the President of the Senate
Provides alternate procedure for amending a home rule charter

INSURANCE/PROPERTY
HB1: Finally Passed without Amendments
Changes period of time from one hundred twenty days to sixty days for owners to contest the acquisition of abandoned property which was adjudicated to political subdivisions more than five years previously

HB2: Ordered to House- Pending House Concurrence
Authorizes the Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corporation to seek and accept federal Community Development Block Grant monies to pay bonds and obligations caused by hurricanes in 2005

HB4: Ordered to House- Pending House Concurrence
Requires that settlement payments on claims arising under homeowners' insurance policies be placed in interest-earning escrow accounts

HB17: Ordered to House- Pending House Concurrence
Prohibits the automatic exclusion of certain coverages under a homeowner's policy for damages due to a declared disasterHB40: Finally Passed without AmendmentsProvides relative to acquisitive prescription of blighted property

HB46: Ordered to House- Pending House Concurrence
Limits certain assessment procedures for property damaged by disaster or emergency declared by the storm

HB97: Finally Passed without Amendments
Provides for disclosures of the terms of homeowners' policies by insurers

REVENUE SHARING
HB3: Finally Passed without Amendments
Provides relative to the FY 2005-2006 distribution of revenue sharing allocations in Orleans, Jefferson, Plaquemines, and St. Bernard parishes

TAX
HB18: Finally Passed without Amendments
Changes the effectiveness provision in Act No. 30 of the 2005 First Extraordinary Session of the Legislature

HB21: Ordered to House- Pending House Concurrence
Authorizes certain casualty loss deductions for 2004 tax year

GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION
HB59: Finally Passed as Amended
Creates the Louisiana Recovery Authority

HB61: Ordered to House- Pending House Concurrence
Provides for the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness as an agency in the governor's office reporting directly to the governor

HB70: Ordered to House- Pending House Concurrence
Requires the office of emergency preparedness to develop a comprehensive and coordinated evacuation plan for all coastal and hurricane-prone parishes

HB88: Ordered to House- Pending House Concurrence
Provides for duties of the state office of homeland security and emergency preparedness

GOVERNMENT BONDS
HB90: Finally Passed without Amendments
Provides relative to the limitation on net state tax supported debt for bonds issued to provide relief from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

HB93: Ordered to House- Pending House Concurrence
Authorizes state to issue bonds to provide relief from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and implement certain bond provisions of the Gulf Opportunity Zone Act of 2005

Request for Analysis
Today is the last day of the Special Session, but our job is not done. We’ll be sending out an email this weekend wrapping up the Special Session. If you have any analysis regarding the Special Session, please forward it to katrinalegislation@gmail.com for inclusion in upcoming updates.

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Contribute Information
If you or your organization has any analysis regarding the Special Session, please email katrinalegislation@gmail.com to include your analysis in our email updates. We depend on the analysis of contributing organizations to provide as much information as possible to our network. Please share your analysis with our network! Contact katrinalegislation@gmail.com with any questions.

Join Email List
To add yourself to our email distribution list, please email katrinalegislation.subscribe@gmail.com. Your email address will be added to our list as soon as possible.

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About
Katrina Legislation Tracking is a collaborative effort to distribute Katrina-related policy news from a streamlined source. Our goal is to make action easy by keeping information on proposed legislation all in one place. We aim to inform and learn from grassroots networks and advocates about changes in local, state and federal policy that might impact Hurricane Katrina survivors. We believe that public policies should correct the race, class and gender inequalities that contributed to Hurricane Katrina's devastation.Katrina Legislation Tracking is a partnership effort between the National Economic and Social Rights Initiative, the Katrina Information Network, the Praxis Project, the Brennan Center for Justice, the Partnership for Working Families, Law Students for Human Rights at NYU School of Law and a growing number of progressive organizations.

Wednesday Update

2006-02-15T05:13:00.000-08:00

Louisiana Special Sesssion
Wednesday, February 15, 2006

Much thanks to the Louisiana ACLU for relaying information from the ground!

Katrina Legislation Tracking is monitoring the Louisiana Special Session from February 6-17, 2006. These two weeks are a critical time to make sure the voices of Katrina survivors and advocates are heard. This email series is tracking how the Special Session will affect the post-Katrina rebuilding of Louisiana.

Today's Contents
· Black Caucus Walkout
· House Committee on Government Affairs
· Wednesday's Committee Hearings
· In the News
· Request for Analysis
· Tuesday Bill Action
· Federal Legislation Update

Black Caucus Walkout
On Monday the Black Legislators in the House walked out of the session in protest after House Bill 14 was voted down. HB14 would have created satellite voting stations around Louisiana. Tuesday the Legislators returned to the Special Session. Chairman of the Legislative Black Caucus, Representative Cedric Richmond said: "are we going to represent our constituents? Absolutely."

There is talk in the media that the opposition to HB14 was more of a political shot at Governor Blanco than opposition to the bill itself. As a Times-Picayune article said yesterday: "Several legislators said the damage to Blanco's agenda is self-inflicted, and accused her and the administration staff of failing to push hard enough for her signature proposals." (for more news on this click here). This seems possible especially since absentee voting (as proposed through HB12) would be much more open to potential voter fraud than the satellite voting method proposed through HB14.

House Committee on Government Affairs
As seen with the walkout on Monday, voting rights issues have been some of the most contentious issues during this Special Session. On Tuesday, in what was described as an extremely tense session and a "media circus" for the House Committee on Government Affairs, three of the session's main voting bills: SB16, SB22 and SB50 were all voted out. While only Representative Peppi Bruneau was strongly opposed to the bills during the meeting, Secretary of State Al Ater actually said he could think of no reason for anyone to oppose SB 22 except a desire to deny some people the right to vote.

Among the testimony in support was the Louisiana ACLU, Secretary of State Ater, Governor Kathleen Blanco, Lieutenant Governor, the AFL-CIO and the League of Women Voters. Nobody testified against the legislation.

In the end, only three members voted against the bill: Bruneau, Committee Chairman Charles Lancaster and Billy Wayne Montgomery. Loulan Pitre, who voted against the identical HB14 on the floor Monday apparently changed his mind and now supports the legislation.

All three bills are on the House calendar for tomorrow, HB12 is back from the Senate with amendments for concurrences as well.

Wednesday's Committee Hearings
The House will convene at 2:00 PM The Senate will convene at 3:00 PM

Senate Committee Meetings:
Finance at 9:30 AM Two bills will be dealt with: HB3 (provides relative to the FY 2005-2006 distribution of revenue sharing allocations) and HB71 ( Provides for supplemental capital outlay appropriation for the 2005-2006 Fiscal Year to the Department of Military Affairs)

Local and Municipal Affairs at 9:00 AM Will deal with a number of bills dealing with local affairs, including Public Contracts, Property and Emergency Preparedness.

Retirement at 1:00 PM Will be dealing with legislation on the retirement of judges.

Senate and Governmental Affairs at 9:00 AM Will be dealing with bills on Emergency Preparedness and Government Organization (HB88 & HB61)

Transportation, Highways and Public Works at 10:00 AM Multiple bills dealing with Levees.
House Committee Hearings:

Insurance The insurance committee will be dealing with SB7 which Prohibits exclusion of insurance coverage for damage to immovables under certain circumstances.

Transportation, Highways, and Public Works at 9:00 AM Will be dealing with SB8 and SB9, two bills dealing with plans for future flooding.

Joint Committee Meetings:
Joint Health & Welfare at 1:00 PM Oversight hearing on the Louisiana Board of Pharmacy's proposed rule relative to the scope of practice of pharmacy technicians.

In the News
Capitol BRIEFING BOOK
Times Picayune 2/14/2006

Voting center bill dies in House
By Ed Anderson, Times Picayune 2/14/2006

Blanco bills going down in flames
By Jan Moller, Times Picayune 2/14/2006

Waste plagues hurricane response
By Bruce Alpert, Times Picayune 2/14/2006

Levee plan sponsor up for compromise
By Robert Travis Scott, Times Picayune 2/14/2006

Smith gives update on Special Session
Will Tubbs, Leesville Daily Leader News 2/14/2006

Request for Analysis
With only three full days left in the Special Session we need as much information as we can get. If you have any analysis regarding remaining bills under consideration, please forward it to katrinalegislation@gmail.com for inclusion in upcoming updates.

Tuesday Bill Action
House
UNEMPLOYMENT COMP.
SB1: Ordered to Senate – Pending Senate Concurrence Provides for reimbursement of unemployment compensation benefits charged to state and local governments and eligible nonprofit organizations during a gubernatorially declared disaster or emergency

LEVEES
SB4: Ordered to Senate – Pending Senate Concurrence Creates and provides for the Coastal Louisiana Levee Consortium.

GOVERNMENTAL REGULATIONS:
SB5: Ordered to Senate – Pending Senate Concurrence Provides for changes to the state uniform construction code.

PROPERTY INSURANCE:
SB14: Ordered to Senate – Pending Senate Concurrence Prohibits certain activities of the Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corporation.

BANKS/BANKING
SB31: Ordered to Senate – Pending Senate Concurrence Revises provisions requiring certain insurance settlement payments on residential property damage claims to be placed in interest-bearing accounts.

Senate
FLOODS/FLOODING
SB8: Passed as amended; ordered to the house Reorganizes the governance and structure of certain levee districts by creating and providing for a regional flood protection authority in southeast Louisiana.
SB9: Passed as amended; ordered to the House Constitutional amendment to provide for the establishment of regional flood protection authorities.

SCHOOLS
SCR12: Passed as amended; ordered to the House Requests Jefferson Parish School Board to provide for transportation of all students who attend public schools

ETHICS
HB6: Passed as amended; ordered to the House Allows a public employee who was affected by a disaster or emergency to accept contributions or donations from certain not-for-profit organizations or funds within certain not-for-profit organizations

ELECTIONS
HB12: Passed as amended; ordered to the House Allows registered voters temporarily displaced by a gubernatorially declared state of emergency who have registered by mail to vote absentee by mail without first voting in person at the polls or appearing or voting at the registrar's office

TAX/SALES & USE
HB60: Passed as amended; ordered to the House Provides that barges are subject to the exemption for ships and ships' supplies

Federal Legislation Update
If you're interested in Federal Legislation with regards to the aftermath of hurricanes Katrina and Rita, here's a handy guide from the Senate Budget Committee on related spending.

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Contribute Information
If you or your organization is tracking legislation included in the Special Session, please email katrinalegislation@gmail.com to include your analysis in our email updates. We depend on the analysis of contributing organizations to provide as much information as possible to our network. Please share your analysis with our network! Contact katrinalegislation@gmail.com with any questions.

Join Email List
To add yourself to our email distribution list, please email katrinalegislation.subscribe@gmail.com. Your email address will be added to our list as soon as possible.
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About
Katrina Legislation Tracking is a collaborative effort to distribute Katrina-related policy news from a streamlined source. Our goal is to make action easy by keeping information on proposed legislation all in one place. We aim to inform and learn from grassroots networks and advocates about changes in local, state and federal policy that might impact Hurricane Katrina survivors. We believe that public policies should correct the race, class and gender inequalities that contributed to Hurricane Katrina's devastation.

Katrina Legislation Tracking is a partnership effort between the National Economic and Social Rights Initiative, the Katrina Information Network, the Praxis Project, the Brennan Center for Justice, the Partnership for Working Families, Law Students for Human Rights at NYU School of Law and a growing number of progressive organizations.

Tuesday Update 2-14-06

2006-02-14T07:00:00.000-08:00

Louisiana Special Session
Tuesday, February 14, 2006

Katrina Legislation Tracking is monitoring the Louisiana Special Session from February 6-17, 2006. This email series is tracking how the Special Session will affect the post-Katrina rebuilding of Louisiana.

Today's Contents
* Voting Legislation Update
* Tuesday Committee Meetings
* In the News
* Request for Analysis
* Legislation Passed on 2/13 in House & Senate

Voting Legislation Update
In a joint legislative session on Monday 2/13, both the Louisiana State House and Senate approved the Secretary of State’s New Orleans election plan for April and May 2006. The House passed the plan with a 86-9 vote, and the Senate affirmed with a 33-3 vote.

According to The Times-Picayune, the plan includes expanded absentee voting and a central New Orleans polling location.

Another election bill, HB14, failed to pass the House on Monday. The Times-Picayune reported that,
"a sharply divided House rejected a bill Monday that would allow evacuees to vote at satellite voting centers in 10 parishes outside of the city, even though a similar measure had the backing of the Senate. The bill by Rep. Jalila Jefferson, D-New Orleans, failed in a 46-53 vote.”

To see a breakdown of how legislators voted on HB14, go here.

If your organization has more information on these and other bills under consideration this week, please contact katrinalegislation@gmail.com. A member of our team will follow-up with you as soon as possible.

Tuesday Committee Hearings
In the House
(1) House and Governmental Affairs – 1pm CST
Will cover census bills about shifted populations after the Hurricane, proposed changes to school board terms, and proposed voting provisions.

(2) Insurance – 9:30am CST
Proposed legislation about insurance claims for immovable property.

(3) Judiciary – 1pm CST
Bills about courthouse construction and involvement of Judicial Council in making recommendations to the legislature.

(4) Municipal, Parochial and Cultural Affairs – 1pm CST
Includes legislation about creation of Louisiana Housing Recovery Centers and Louisiana Housing and Land Trust.

In the Senate
(1) Agriculture, Forestry, Aquaculture and Rural Development – 9:30am CST
Discussion of LSU Agriculture Center Budget

(2) Environmental Quality – 10am CST
Legislation requesting comments from Department of Environmental Quality on the Old Gentilly Landfill.

(3) Judiciary A – 9:30am CST
Legislation about treatment of blighted property.

(4) Natural Resources – 1pm CST

(5) Transportation, Highways and Public Works – 10:30am CST
Legislation about levees and public contracts.

In the News
Republicans’ Report on Katrina Assails Administration Response
Eric Lipton, NY Times 2/13/2006

Response to Katrina Was ‘Unacceptable,’ Certoff Says
David Stout, NY Times 2/13/2006

Judge halts prosecutions of New Orleans indigent defendants
Mary Foster, AP 2/10/2006

Request for Analysis
With only three days left in the Special Session it is imperative that we get as much information distributed as soon as possible. If you have any analysis regarding remaining bills under consideration, please forward it to katrinalegislation@gmail.com for inclusion in upcoming updates.

Legislation Passed in House or Senate
Bills Passed on 2/13 in the House:
HB11: (Constitutional Amendment) Removes requirement that the board of commissioners of a levee district be appointed or elected from among residents of such district (Item #1)
yeas 93, nays 2.

HB25: Consolidates certain levee boards into the Barataria Basin Flood Authority (Item #1)
yeas 85, nays 8.

HB44: Consolidates certain levee districts into the Southeast Louisiana Levee District (Item #1)
yeas 79, nays 0.

HB72: (Constitutional Amendment) Adds requirement for voter approval of ad valorem taxes levied by certain levee districts (Item #1)
yeas 81, nays 0.

HB82: Creates the Pontchartrain Basin Levee Authority (Item #1)
yeas 82, nays 0.

Bills Passed on 2/13 in the Senate:
SB36: Extends the taxable period for certain income tax benefits.
37 yeas and 0 nays.

SB37: Excludes from the "proration" provisions of Act 66 of 2005 1ES for damaged or destroyed property, such property in any parish for which the assessment rolls for tax year 2005 were certified, or partially or conditionally certified, by the tax commission prior to December 6, 2005.
38 yeas and 0 nays.

SB48: Allows the suspension and resumption of DROP participation for public school system employees terminated due to a reduction-in-force necessitated by hurricane Katrina or Rita.
34 yeas and 0 nays.

SB50: Applies certain absentee voting provisions for U.S. servicemen or persons residing outside the U.S. to persons temporarily displaced by the recent common disaster and state of emergency.
32 yeas and 0 nays.

HB22: Provides that the one-time severance tax payment may be taken as a credit against future tax liabilities (Item #32)
36 yeas and 0 nays.

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Contribute Information
If you or your organization is tracking legislation included in the Special Session, please email katrinalegislation@gmail.com to include your analysis in our email updates. We depend on the analysis of contributing organizations to provide as much information as possible to our network. Please share your analysis with our network! Contact katrinalegislation@gmail.com with any questions.

Join Email List
To add yourself to our email distribution list, please email katrinalegislation.subscribe@gmail.com. Your email address will be added to our list as soon as possible.

+++
About
Katrina Legislation Tracking is a collaborative effort to distribute Katrina-related policy news from a streamlined source. Our goal is to make action easy by keeping information on proposed legislation all in one place. We aim to inform and learn from grassroots networks and advocates about changes in local, state and federal policy that might impact Hurricane Katrina survivors. We believe that public policies should correct the race, class and gender inequalities that contributed to Hurricane Katrina’s devastation.

Katrina Legislation Tracking is a partnership effort between the National Economic and Social Rights Initiative, the Katrina Information Network, the Praxis Project, the Brennan Center for Justice, the Partnership for Working Families, Law Students for Human Rights at NYU School of Law and a growing number of progressive organizations.

2006-02-13T08:05:00.000-08:00

Louisiana Special Session
Sunday, February 12, 2006

Katrina Legislation Tracking is monitoring the Louisiana Special Session from February 6-17, 2006. These two weeks are a critical time to make sure the voices of Katrina survivors and advocates are heard. This email series is tracking how the Special Session will affect the post-Katrina rebuilding of Louisiana.

Today's Contents
* Update on NAACP LDF Election Litigation
* Voting Rights Alert
* Sunday & Monday's Committee Hearings
* Louisiana/Katrina News Stories
* Unemployment Insurance Update
* Newly Filed House and Senate Bills

Sunday the House met at 4PM for a little over 3 hours. They didn't get through their agenda, which is to be reconvened at 2:00 PM today (Monday). For the House Agenda click here, for the Senate Agenda, click here.

New Orleans Election Litigation Update
The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund joined a lawsuit in January dealing with Voter Rights. Basically, their aim is to allow for every voter who wants to participate in the upcoming Orleans Parish elections to have the opportunity to cast their ballot and have their vote count: "[t]he lawsuit is aimed at insuring that New Orleans's eligible voters who were displaced by Hurricanes Katrina or Rita are not disfranchised when postponed elections for city officials are held."

Click here to read more on this case.

Voting Rights/Elections
On Monday morning at 9am CST, the Secretary of State is speaking to a joint session of the Senate and House to speak about the emergency plan for New Orleans parochial and municipal elections. A copy of the meeting notice is available here.

House Bills that were passed into the Senate
Tax/Income Tax
HB21: Authorizes certain casualty loss deductions for 2004 tax year
Property
HB40: Provides relative to acquisitive prescription of blighted property
Government Organization
HB61: Provides for the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness as an agency in the governor's office reporting directly to the governor
Emergency Preparedness
HB70: Requires the office of emergency preparedness to develop a comprehensive and coordinated evacuation plan for all coastal and hurricane-prone parishes
HB88: Provides for duties of the state office of homeland security and emergency preparedness
Levees/Bds & Districts
HB85: Provides for the reorganization of certain levee districts operating in Lafourche Parish

Sunday's Committee Hearings
Senate Committee Meetings:
Senate Committee on Senate and Governmental Affairs 1:00 PM

Monday's Committee Hearings
Senate Committee Meetings:
Commerce, Consumer Protection and International Affairs, 10:00 AM
Insurance, 10:00 AM

Joint Committee Meetings:
Emergency Plan for New Orleans Ballot Promulgation, 9:00 AM

For a live web cast of House committee hearings, click here.
For a live web cast of Senate committee hearings, click here.

In the News
Katrina Report Spreads BlameSpencer Hsu, Washington Post, 2/12/06.

Katrina Politics: Will We Get Rebuilding Right?Evan Thomas and Holly Bailey, Time, 2/20/06 issue.

Hurricane Victims Losing Hotel RoomsRukmini Callimachi, Associated Press, 2/11/06.

Hurricanes Stir up Law Books, Too.John Hill, Shreveport Times, 2/12/06.

Thurs. special session notes & quotesAssociated Press (Via KATC), 2/10/06

Unemployment Insurance Update
The National Employment Law Project has an excellent document out on the need for Congress to extend and increase Federal Unemployment Insurance. Click here to access it. The Louisiana State Legislature is also dealing with the issue of Unemployment Insurance through:
* HB89: Provides for reimbursement of unemployment compensation benefits charged to state and local governments and eligible nonprofit organizations during a gubernatorially declared disaster or emergency.
* SB1: Provides for reimbursement of unemployment compensation benefits charged to state and local governments and eligible nonprofit organizations during a gubernatorially declared disaster or emergency.

Links to Newly Filed House and Senate Bills
Environment/Land Use:
SB53: Constitutional amendment to prohibit the expropriation of property for use by or transfer to a private person and define "public purposes" for expropriation purposes.

Housing/Insurance:
SB49: Creates the Louisiana Housing and Land Trust.

Tax/State Financing:
SB51: Provides relative to the limitation on net state tax supported debt for bonds issued to provide relief from hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
SB52: Authorizes the state to incur debt or issue bonds to provide relief from hurricanes Katrina and Rita and implement certain bond provisions of the Gulf Opportunity Zone Act of 2005.
SB54: Creates the Louisiana Business Recovery Assistance Program.

Government Reorganization:
SB56: Establishes the Louisiana Recovery Authority as a statutory entity.
SB57: Prohibits delegation or transfer of the powers and authority of the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority
SB58: Establishes and provides for the Louisiana Recovery Authority.

Voting Rights:
SB50: Applies certain absentee voting provisions for U.S. servicemen or persons residing outside the U.S. to persons temporarily displaced by the recent common disaster and state of emergency.

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Contribute Information
If you or your organization is tracking legislation included in the Special Session, please email katrinalegislation@gmail.com to include your analysis in our email updates. We depend on the analysis of contributing organizations to provide as much information as possible to our network. Please share your analysis with our network! Contact katrinalegislation@gmail.com with any questions.

Join Email List
To add yourself to our email distribution list, please email katrinalegislation.subscribe@gmail.com. Your email address will be added to our list as soon as possible.

+++
About
Katrina Legislation Tracking is a collaborative effort to distribute Katrina-related policy news from a streamlined source. Our goal is to make action easy by keeping information on proposed legislation all in one place. We aim to inform and learn from grassroots networks and advocates about changes in local, state and federal policy that might impact Hurricane Katrina survivors. We believe that public policies should correct the race, class and gender inequalities that contributed to Hurricane Katrina’s devastation.

Katrina Legislation Tracking is a partnership effort between the National Economic and Social Rights Initiative, the Katrina Information Network, the Praxis Project, Law Students for Human Rights at NYU School of Law and a growing number of progressive organizations.

Friday Update 02-10-06

2006-02-10T08:26:00.000-08:00

Louisiana Special Session
Friday, February 10, 2006

Katrina Legislation Tracking is monitoring the Louisiana Special Session from February 6-17, 2006. These next two weeks are a critical time to make sure the voices of Katrina survivors and advocates are heard. This email series is tracking how the Special Session will affect the post-Katrina rebuilding of Louisiana.

Today’s Contents
* Election Bill Descriptions and Analyses
* Additional Note on Expropriation/Eminent Domain Bills
* Friday’s Committee Hearings
* In the News
* Links to new House and Senate Bills

Voting Rights/Elections
***ALERT***
On Monday morning at 9am CST, the Secretary of State is speaking to a joint session of the Senate and House to speak about the emergency plan for New Orleans parochial and municipal elections. A copy of the meeting notice is available here.

HB12 and SB16 are on a fast track. Below is a summary of these bills. If your organization is tracking these bills and can provide a more detailed analysis, please send it to katrinalegistlation@gmail.com

House Bill 12
Introduced by Representative Jefferson
Passed House and ordered to the Senate

Senate Bill 16
Introduced by Senator Jones
Passed Senate and ordered to the House

What would they do? Currently voters who registered by mail have to vote in person at least once before they are allowed to vote by mail. Senate Bill 16 would allow voters who have been displaced by Katrina, and who registered by mail on or before September 24, 2005 to vote by mail, even if they have never voted in person. This provision is temporary and would expire July 16, 2006.

House Floor Amendments. The House amended House Bill 12 to require the voter to include an affidavit that has been signed by two witnesses or a notary public with the application to vote by mail. It also amended the bill to limit the eligible voters to those who registered by mail between October 5, 2004 and September 24, 2005.

Concerns. Many people have expressed concerns that these bills do not go far enough to protect the rights of voters who have been displaced by Hurricane Katrina. The Advancement Project is advocating for satellite voting, which would allow evacuees to vote from their temporary home. For more information, see this press release.

Additional Note on Expropriation/Eminent Domain Bills
The Eminent Domain Bills that were highlighted in yesterday’s update fall into two categories – those that amend statute and those that amend the Constitution.

The statute bills require only a simple majority and do not require the voters' approval. They can go into effect almost immediately.

The Constitutional Amendments require a 2/3 majority in each house, and then must be submitted to the voters and approved before they can have any effect. Thus, the protections from Kelo expropriation can be immediate with a statute, whereas constitutional amendments take much longer to take effect.

(Kelo refers to a recent controversial Supreme Court decision allowing for governmental taking of property from one private owner to give to another for purposes of "economic development.")

Friday’s Committee Hearings

House Committee on Ways and Means, 9 am
HB50 Assessors - (Constitutional Amendment) Provides for a single assessor in Orleans Parish

HB51 Assessors - Provides for a single assessor in Orleans Parish

HB69 Assessors - Provides for one state assessor to be appointed by the governor

Senate Committee on Retirement, 9:30 am
SB41 Retirement Systems - Allows the suspension and resumption of DROP participation for public school system employees terminated due to a reduction-in-force necessitated by hurricane Katrina or Rita

SB48 Retirement Systems - Allows the suspension and resumption of DROP participation for public school system employees terminated due to a reduction-in-force necessitated by hurricane Katrina or Rita. (gov sig)

Senate Committee on Senate and Governmental Affairs, 9:30 am
SCR2 Parishes - Directs the attorney general and the secretary of state to study the possibility of combining the parishes of Orleans, Plaquemines, Jefferson, and St. Bernard into one municipality

SCR10 Voters/Voting - Provides for the creation of a task force to identify and locate displaced Louisiana citizens and to aid in their return to Louisiana

SB17 Government Organization - Establishes the Louisiana Recovery Authority as a statutory entity

SB40 Government Organization - Establishes the Louisiana Recovery Authority

SB47 Government Organization - Provides for the governor's office of homeland security and emergency preparedness as an agency in the office of the governor

HCR14 Military Affairs/Natl Gd - Requests the adjutant general to bestow medals of honor on members of LANG for service during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

Senate Committee on Revenue and Fiscal Affairs, 10 am
SB23 Tax/Taxation - Authorizes the Department of Revenue to grant a credit against severance tax for the one-time payment of such tax required of oil and gas severers by Act 446 of the 2005 RS.

SB34 Tax Exemptions - Provides for barges to be included as "vessels" in the sales tax exemption for purchases for vessels used in interstate commerce.

SB36 Tax/Income/Personal - Prevents an increase in Louisiana income tax if a hurricane casualty loss is claimed on a 2004 federal income tax return.

SB37 Tax/Ad Valorem - Excludes from the "proration" provisions of Act 66 of 2005 1ES for damaged or destroyed property, such property in any parish for which the assessment rolls for tax year 2005 were certified, or partially or conditionally certified, by the tax commission prior to December 6, 2005.

House Committee on Judiciary, 11 am
HB9 Emergency Preparedness - Requires the office of homeland security and emergency preparedness to establish wireless communications networks

HB55 Parish/Orleans - Abolishes the offices of recorder of mortgages, register of conveyances, and custodian of notarial archives and merges these offices in an elected recorder of real properties for the parish of Orleans

HB70 Emergency Preparedness - Requires the office of emergency preparedness to develop a comprehensive and coordinated evacuation plan for all coastal and hurricane-prone parishes

HB74 Retirement/Judges - Provides relative to retirement eligibility of certain judges

HB88 Emergency Preparedness - Provides for duties of the state office of homeland security and emergency preparedness

For a live web cast of House committee hearings, click here.

For a live web cast of Senate committee hearings, click here.

In the News
“Levee Unification Encounters Opposition” by Robert Travis Scott, The Times Picayune, 02/08/2006.
RE: SB8 and SB9

“Bill to Reform New Orleans Levees Approved” by The Associated Press, The New York Times, 02/08/2006.

“Editorial: Divided We Flood” The Times Picayune, 02/08/2006

“Bailout Bills for LA Insurers Advance” by Jan Moller, The Times Picayune, 02/08/2006.
RE: HB45 and SB14

“Committee Approves State Tax Deduction” by Ed Anderson, The Times Picayune, 02/08/2006.
RE: HB21

“Panel Looks at Rescheduling Election” by Ed Anderson, The Times Picayune, 02/08/2006.
RE: HB18, HB27, HB28, and HB29

Links to Newly Filed House and Senate Bills
Education:
SB41, SB48

Environment/Land Use:
HB91, HB92, HB94, HB95, HB96
SB46

Housing/Insurance:
HB92, HB97, HB98, HB99
SB43, SB45, SB49

Employment:
SB41, SB48

Tax/State Financing:
HB90, HB93

Government Reorganization:
HB91, HB92, HB98, HB99
SB42, SB44, SB45, SB47, SB49

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Contribute Information
If you or your organization is tracking legislation included in the Special Session, please email katrinalegislation@gmail.com to include your analysis in our email updates. We depend on the analysis of contributing organizations to provide as much information as possible to our network. Please share your analysis with our network! Contact katrinalegislation@gmail.com with any questions.

Join Email List
To add yourself to our email distribution list, please email katrinalegislation.subscribe@gmail.com. Your email address will be added to our list as soon as possible.

+++
About
Katrina Legislation Tracking is a collaborative effort to distribute Katrina-related policy news from a streamlined source. Our goal is to make action easy by keeping information on proposed legislation all in one place. We aim to inform and learn from grassroots networks and advocates about changes in local, state and federal policy that might impact Hurricane Katrina survivors. We believe that public policies should correct the race, class and gender inequalities that contributed to Hurricane Katrina’s devastation.

Katrina Legislation Tracking is a partnership effort between the National Economic and Social Rights Initiative, the Katrina Information Network, the Praxis Project, the Brennan Center for Justice, the Partnership for Working Families, Law Students for Human Rights at NYU School of Law and a growing number of progressive organizations.

Wednesday Update: 02/08/06

2006-02-09T17:16:00.000-08:00

Louisiana Special Session
Wednesday, February 08, 2006

Katrina Legislation Tracking is monitoring the Louisiana Special Session from February 6-17, 2006. These next two weeks are a critical time to make sure the voices of Katrina survivors and advocates are heard. This email series is tracking how the Special Session will affect the post-Katrina rebuilding of Louisiana.

Today’s Contents
* Tuesday and Wednesday Summary
* Expropriation/Eminent Domain Bill Descriptions and Analyses
* Links to new House and Senate Bills

Tuesday and Wednesday Summary
A list of House Committee meetings held on February 7th and 8th, as well as agendas and video web casts of these meetings are available here.

Expropriation/Eminent Domain Bills
The Brennan Center for Justice and Partnership for Working families have provided the following descriptions and analyses of several bills dealing with expropriation/eminent that have been introduced for the Special Session. A full copy of this document is available here.

Bills Currently in Committee:
These first three bills were introduced on Monday and then referred to Committee. These bills are essentially on a “fast-track” to passage and as a result, require immediate attention, particularly House Bill 16.

House Bill 16 (HB 16)
Introduced by Representative Tucker, Referred to Committee on Civil Law and Procedure
*** We have been told by one source that during today's Committee meeting, Rep. Tucker made a decision to withdraw the bill, but this has not yet been formally reported in the Committee's minutes. Regardless, stay alert. Even if it is not voted on during the Special Session it will certainly re-appear during the Regular Legislative Session, which takes place in March.***

What Would It Do? HB 16 would expand the powers of the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority (NORA), allowing it to use the "quick take" means of expropriation currently available only to the City of New Orleans. Under "quick take" expropriation, blighted or abandoned property can be expropriated for a public purpose with 15 days' notice to the owner, followed by an additional 15 days for the owner to file a suit contesting the taking. After this period, the taking is final.

Analysis: We believe this bill presents serious dangers for property owners in New Orleans. The bill is poorly drafted, in that it is not clear what procedures NORA must follow when exercising the quick take authority. NORA is not subject to the political controls that the City government is, and may be more difficult for affected communities to influence. In addition, under this proposal, it is unclear whether NORA would be required to provide the opportunities for public involvement which are required for most NORA actions under its authorizing statute. Providing quick take expropriation authority to NORA – especially without clear controls – increases the risk of people losing their property without adequate opportunity to be heard.

House Bill 40 (HB 40)
Introduced by Representative Richmond, Referred to Committee on Civil Law and Procedure

What Would It Do? HB 40 amends the law that controls what is known as adverse possession or acquisitive prescription. Adverse possession generally allows an individual to become the owner of a property by taking possession of that property. The law in question provides for a three-year period of possession in order to become the owner of the property. The proposed amendment states that, rather than requiring the possessor to file an affidavit describing the adverse possession and so on, the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority can file the affidavit.

Analysis: Although the change proposed by this law appears minor and technical, it appears that it might be intended to entirely alter the purpose of this law. Our analysis is not yet complete.

House Bill 1 (HB 1)
Introduced by Representative Burrell, referred to Committee on Municipal, Parochial and Cultural Affairs

What Would It Do? HB 1 would reduce from 120 days to 60 days the amount of time that a property owner has to file a lawsuit contesting the proceedings when a political subdivision (usually a city) acquires abandoned property that was adjudicated to it more than five years ago.

Analysis: Because this bill applies only to property that was taken from the owner by the government more than five years previously, we assume that its reduction in the amount of time available to contest its next acquisition will affect very few properties or people.

Bills introduced and returned to the calendar:
The following bills were introduced on Monday, February 6th and returned to the calendar and are scheduled to be referred to a committee during the general legislative session on Wednesday, February 8th. Each of these bills limits in some way the government’s powers of expropriation. These bills therefore respond to very real fears that in the wake of Hurricane Katrina government will expropriate property from low-income people and provide it to private developers, for construction of projects that will exclude original owners. The bills provide a range of limitations on expropriation powers.

A. Moratorium on Expropriation
House Bill 43 (HB 43)
Introduced by Representative Marchand

What Would It Do? HB 43 suspends the expropriations process (both normal expropriation and the "quick take" expropriation) for one year following the date that homeowners are allowed back into property after a declared disaster.

Analysis: HB 43, would help to prevent survivors of Katrina or other disasters from losing their property while still trying to get back on their feet. This one-year suspension of certain types of expropriation protects the interests of property owners without interfering with the long-term ability of government to address blighted or abandoned property.

B. Limitations on Expropriation for Economic Development
The following bills all seek to prevent expropriation for the purpose of private development. Strangely, these bills are not only local progressive responses to fear of whitewashing neighborhoods following Hurricane Katrina, but also fit into a national movement seeking to constrain such expropriation in response to the United States Supreme Court's 2005 decision in Kelo v. New London. The Kelo decision affirmed the power of municipalities to take private property from an individual in order to give it to a private developer to stimulate economic development.

House Bill 24 (HB 24)
Introduced by Representative Bruneau and others
House Bill 34 (HB 34)
Introduced by Representative Montgomery and others
Senate Bill 10 (SB 10)
Introduced by McPherson

What Would They Do? These identical bills would present a referendum to the voters of Louisiana, to be decided at the April 29, 2006 election, proposing that the Louisiana Constitution be amended to prohibit the expropriation of private property to be used by any private person. The goal of this amendment would be to prevent the government from expropriating someone's property and then transferring it to a private company or individual – a standard approach for redevelopment projects undertaken for the purpose of economic development. In addition, the amendment would narrow the definition of the public purposes for which property may be expropriated, in order to prevent general economic development from being used to justify expropriation.

Analysis: The constitutional amendment contained in these bills would significantly restrict governmental ability to expropriate private property. Government would still be able to expropriate property for things like schools, parks, and streets. However, government would be able to pursue economic development projects through sale of land to private developers only if the original landowners voluntarily decided to sell. This change would provide significant protections to property owners in Katrina-impacted areas that interest private developers. If the voters decided to place this restriction in the Constitution, this restriction would be more difficult to lift or alter than if it were merely a law.

House Bill 33 (HB 33)
Introduced by Representative Marchand
House Bill 38 (HB 38)
Introduced by Representative Richmond and others

What Would They Do? These identical bills would prohibit expropriation for the purpose of most kinds of development (retail, commercial, office, industrial, or residential), or to stimulate tax revenue growth, or to transfer to a company, individual, public-private partnership, or any other nongovernmental entity. They also would provide that if expropriated property (1) is not used within 30 years; or (2) is no longer necessary for the purpose for which it was expropriated, it must be offered back to the original owner, or his or her heirs, at the original price, with some adjustments.

Analysis: Like HB 24, but more sweeping, this broadly written bill would dramatically restrict the government's ability to expropriate private property. Several important ramifications of this language are debatable and should be clarified in the legislative process. The provision requiring property to be offered back to the original owner at the original price would provide additional protections for the current composition of neighborhoods.

House Bill 35 (HB 35)
Introduced by Representative Ansardi

What Would It Do? HB 35 would put a constitutional amendment to the voters on April 29, 2006. The amendment would place in the Constitution the language proposed in HB 33 restricting expropriation for the purpose of most if not all private development, increasing tax revenues, or providing property to private businesses or individuals. The amendment would explicitly state, however, that blighted or abandoned property could be expropriated.

Analysis: Like HB 33, HB 35 would dramatically restrict expropriation for purposes of economic development. By placing this restriction in the Constitution (if the voters so determined), this restriction would be more difficult to lift or alter than if it were merely a law. However, the explicit exception for blighted or abandoned properties addresses one potential issue with HB 33.

House Bill 39 (HB 39)
Introduced by Representatives Farrar and Richmond

What Would It Do? HB 39 would place before the voters a proposed constitutional amendment that would rewrite the state constitutional provisions relating to expropriation. The amendment would: (1) prevent expropriation of property for use by developers; (2) require a written statement explaining the need for expropriation; (3) prohibit the transfer of expropriated property to any person without first offering it to the original owner; and (4) require unused property or any portion of property to be declared surplus and offered to original owner.

Analysis: HB 39 provides a more detailed reworking of the standards and procedures for expropriation. Like the other bills, it would protect property owners at the expense of one method of making over large portions of destroyed areas. Its requirement of a written statement explaining the need for expropriation would promote transparency. The provisions requiring the property to be reoffered to the original owner might act to preserve neighborhood continuity and protect the interests of the original owner. As a constitutional amendment, it would be more difficult to lift or alter than a law.

Links to House and Senate Bills

Education
HB68-
SB2

Environment/Land Use:
HB11- HB16- HB23– HB25 – HB44 – HB47 – HB48 – HB49 – HB52- HB59
SB3- SB4- SB5- SB6

Housing/Insurance:
HB2- HB4- HB7- HB8 - HB10- HB15- HB16- HB17 – HB31 – HB32 – HB41 – HB42 – HB45 - HB46- HB56- HB59- HB62- HB69- HB73- HB80- HB81-
SB7- SB10- SB12- SB14- SB15- SB38-

Eminent Domain
HB1 - HB24 - HB33 – HB34 – HB35 – HB38 – HB39 – HB40 – HB43- HB59- HB72- HB76- HB77- HB79- HB82- HB85-
SB30- SB31-

Voting Right/Elections:
HB12- HB13- HB14- HB28- HB30- HB63- HB64- HB65- HB66- HB67
SB2- SB16- SB22-

Civil Rights and Civil Liberties:
HB12- HB13- HB14

Employment:
HB6- HB58- HB89-
SB1

Assistance:
HB6- HB26 –
SB1

Tax:
HB18- HB19- HB20- HB21- HB22- HB27 – HB46 – HB50 – HB51- HB62-
SB18- SB23- SB36-

Government Reorganization::
HB53- HB54- HB55- HB56- HB57- HB59- HB84- HB86- HB87-
SB8- SB9- SB13- SB17- SB19- SB20- SB40-

+++
Contribute Information
If you or your organization is tracking legislation included in the Special Session, please email katrinalegislation@gmail.com to include your analysis in our email updates. We depend on the analysis of contributing organizations to provide as much information as possible to our network. Please share your analysis with our network! Contact katrinalegislation@gmail.com with any questions.

Join Email List
To add yourself to our email distribution list, please email katrinalegislation.subscribe@gmail.com. Your email address will be added to our list as soon as possible.

+++
About
Katrina Legislation Tracking is a collaborative effort to distribute Katrina-related policy news from a streamlined source. Our goal is to make action easy by keeping information on proposed legislation all in one place. We aim to inform and learn from grassroots networks and advocates about changes in local, state and federal policy that might impact Hurricane Katrina survivors. We believe that public policies should correct the race, class and gender inequalities that contributed to Hurricane Katrina’s devastation.

Katrina Legislation Tracking is a partnership effort between the National Economic and Social Rights Initiative, the Katrina Information Network, the Praxis Project, the Brennan Center for Justice, the Partnership for Working Families, Law Students for Human Rights at NYU School of Law and a growing number of progressive organizations.

Tuesday Update 2/7/06: Katrina Legislation Tracking

2006-02-09T17:08:00.000-08:00

Louisiana Special Session
Tuesday, February 07, 2006

Katrina Legislation Tracking is monitoring the Louisiana Special Session from February 6-17, 2006. These next two weeks are a critical time to make sure the voices of Katrina survivors and advocates are heard. This email series is tracking how the Special Session will affect the post-Katrina rebuilding of Louisiana.

Monday Summary
Governor Blanco gave an address to formally open the Special Session at the New Orleans Convention Center. In her speech, she highlighted four different issues she wanted the legislature to act on:

Merge and reorganize levee boards
Develop the Louisiana Housing and Land Trust Authority to utilize $7.7 billion in funding.
Restructure and streamline government agencies in New Orleans
Formally create the Louisiana Recovery Authority.

During the Special Session, the legislature can only cover issues outlined by the Governor. In addition to the four areas highlighted in her speech, the Governor has included 41 different call items – including housing, insurance, eminent domain and upcoming election issues. To read her full speech, go here.

The legislature also briefly met to formally introduce legislation into both the House and the Senate. Some legislators participated in the Governor’s bus tour of hurricane-affected areas.

Land Use and Eminent Domain Legislation
Legislators introduced many land-use and eminent domain bills on Tuesday. Here are a few to watch. (Thanks to the ACLU for helping with this section).
Limits on Transferring Private Property
A cluster of bills would limit the ability to transfer private property for commercial, industrial and other uses. If property went unused for 30 years, the original owner would have first rights of refusal. HB33 (Marchand); HB38 (Richmond); SB10 (McPherson).
Eminent Domain Amendments
There are currently at least two different proposals for amending the state’s eminent domain powers.
A proposed amendment specifying that economic development is not a valid “public purpose” for the government taking land. HB34 (Montgomery)
A proposed amendment that requires the stated “public purpose” to be in writing and that property not used after one year will be declared as surplus. HB39 (Farrar)
A proposed amendment which prohibits Kelo takings, but allows taking of abandoned or blighted property. Kelo refers to a recent controversial Supreme Court decision allowing for governmental taking of property from one private owner to give to another for purposes of "economic development." HB35 (Ansardi)
Other Land-Use Bill
Proposes to create a one-year waiting period for residents to return to land before a taking may be filed. HB43 (Marchand)

Action Steps!
Contact Katrina Legislation Tracking about the work your organization is doing with the Special Session. We’re hoping to compile legislative analysis, advocacy events and any other information you’d like to broadcast to a wider network. We’re depending on the contributions of participating organizations to help inform our network. To contact Katrina Legislation Tracking, please email katrinalegislation@gmail.com.

Committee Hearings! We are looking for individuals to watch committee hearings and provide feedback about important updates. Anyone can watch the committee hearings on the State Legislature’s online web-cam. If you can help out any day this week, please email katrinalegislation@gmail.com.

At the Federal Level: Check out an article on AlterNet about ACORN’s upcoming rally in Washington, DC addressing post-Katrina redevelopment issues.

ColorOfChange.org also sent out a message today about the need for better federal and local redevelopment efforts in New Orleans.

+++
Contribute Information
If you or your organization is tracking legislation included in the Special Session, please email katrinalegislation@gmail.com to include your analysis in our email updates. We depend on the analysis of contributing organizations to provide as much information as possible to our network. Please share your analysis with our network! Contact katrinalegislation@gmail.com with any questions.

Join Email List
To add yourself to our email distribution list, please email katrinalegislation.subscribe@gmail.com. Your email address will be added to our list as soon as possible.

+++
About
Katrina Legislation Tracking is a collaborative effort to distribute Katrina-related policy news from a streamlined source. Our goal is to make action easy by keeping information on proposed legislation all in one place. We aim to inform and learn from grassroots networks and advocates about changes in local, state and federal policy that might impact Hurricane Katrina survivors. We believe that public policies should correct the race, class and gender inequalities that contributed to Hurricane Katrina’s devastation.

Katrina Legislation Tracking is a partnership effort between the National Economic and Social Rights Initiative, the Katrina Information Network, the Praxis Project, the Brennan Center for Justice, the Partnership for Working Families, Law Students for Human Rights at NYU School of Law and a growing number of progressive organizations.

Monday Update: Katrina Legislation Tracking

2006-02-09T17:02:00.000-08:00

Louisiana Special Session
Monday, February 06, 2006

Katrina Legislation Tracking is monitoring the Louisiana Special Session from February 6-17, 2006. This email begins our series tracking how the Special Session will affect the post-Katrina rebuilding of Louisiana. These next two weeks are a critical time to make sure the voices of Katrina survivors and advocates are heard.

This email provides an overview of legislation covered in the Special Session. Future emails will provide analysis of proposed legislation and suggestions on how to take action!

What is the Special Session?
Governor Blanco has called an Extraordinary Legislative Session from February 6-17th to address the post-Katrina rebuilding process. The Session is limited to those issues identified by the Governor, which include: upcoming local elections, eminent domain authority, levee consolidation, and a number of other issues of interest to advocates.

To see the Governor’s formal legislative agenda, go here. To read more about the Special Session, see The Times-Picayune or the Associated Press.

What Organizations and Individuals Can Do!
Katrina Legislation Tracking wants to hear from you and your organization! Are you tracking housing, eminent domain or other Katrina-related issues? Or, do you have an advocacy strategy that you want to share with a broader network?

If your organization is tracking proposed legislation in the Special Session, please send your analysis to katrinalegislation@gmail.com. We depend on the analysis of contributing organizations to provide as much information as possible to our network. Likewise, if your organization has an advocacy strategy, please contact katrinalegislation@gmail.com.

Where can I get more information about the Special Session?
Katrina Legislation Tracking will issue regular email updates during the Special Session – ideally, one per day. If you want to directly receive email updates from Katrina Legislation Tracking, please email katrinalegislation.subscribe@gmail.com.

To see a list of proposed bills, visit the Louisiana State Legislature homepage, or see below.

What legislation will the Legislature discuss during the Special Session?
As of Sunday evening, the Louisiana State House had filed at least 52 bills, and the Louisiana State Senate had filed at least 7 bills. In later emails during the Special Session, Katrina Legislation Tracking will compile analysis on these bills.

Below, current bills are separated by issue area. Click on the bill number (HB= House Bill and SB= Senate Bill) to see the full legislative text and summary.

Education
SB2

Environment/Land Use:
HB11- HB16- HB23– HB25 – HB44 – HB47 – HB48 – HB49 – HB52
SB3- SB4- SB5- SB6

Housing/Insurance:
HB2- HB4- HB7- HB8 - HB10- HB15- HB16- HB17 – HB31 – HB32 – HB41 – HB42 – HB45 - HB46
SB7

Eminent Domain
HB1 - HB24 - HB33 – HB34 – HB35 – HB38 – HB39 – HB40 – HB43

Voting Rights:
HB12- HB13- HB14- HB28- HB30
SB2

Civil Rights and Civil Liberties:
HB12- HB13- HB14

Employment:
HB6
SB1

Assistance:
HB6- HB26 –
SB1

Tax:
HB18- HB19- HB20- HB21- HB22- HB27 – HB46 – HB50 – HB51

+++
Contribute Information
If you or your organization is tracking legislation included in the Special Session, please email katrinalegislation@gmail.com to include your analysis in our email updates. We depend on the analysis of contributing organizations to provide as much information as possible to our network. Please share your analysis with our network! Contact katrinalegislation@gmail.com with any questions.

Join Email List
To add yourself to our email distribution list, please email katrinalegislation.subscribe@gmail.com. Your email address will be added to our list as soon as possible.

+++
About
Katrina Legislation Tracking is a collaborative effort to distribute Katrina-related policy news from a streamlined source. Our goal is to make action easy by keeping information on proposed legislation all in one place. We aim to inform and learn from grassroots networks and advocates about changes in local, state and federal policy that might impact Hurricane Katrina survivors. We believe that public policies should correct the race, class and gender inequalities that contributed to Hurricane Katrina’s devastation.

Katrina Legislation Tracking is a partnership effort between the National Economic and Social Rights Initiative, the Katrina Information Network, the Praxis Project, Law Students for Human Rights at NYU School of Law and a growing number of progressive organizations.