Bills still are being filed in the Louisiana Legislature – but there already
are areas of concern related to gambling and other issues, Ken Ward said.
Legislators have until April 24 to file bills. However, more
than 1,700 measures already have been submitted, including 80 bills related
to gambling.
Bills still are being filed in the Louisiana Legislature – but there already
are areas of concern related to gambling and other issues, Ken Ward said.
Legislators have until April 24 to file bills. However, more
than 1,700 measures already have been submitted, including 80 bills related
to gambling.
Proposed bills range from attempts to limit the expansion of
gambling to wholesale expansion, said Ward, executive director of the Louisiana
Moral and Civic Foundation.
He specifically cited House Bill 50, which would allow easy
local elections on video poker. As proposed, the bill would allow persons to
petition for a local election – regardless of any previous votes on the
issue – and agree to pay for the new vote. If a majority of voters in the
targeted area (such as a parish or municipality or ward) approved of video poker,
it would be allowed.
“Gambling opponents should not wait to express their opposition
to House Bill 50,” Ward emphasized. It should be done clearly and without
delay.”
In response to that measure, the foundation has sponsored House
Bill 353 and Senate Bill 482. Those measures would allow local option election
on video poker only if 25 percent of residents in the targeted area signed a
petition. Both bills are being held until the outcome of other gambling measures
is determined, Ward explained.
In addition to gambling, Ward said measures have been filed
on other key issues as well, including abortion, alcohol, child abuse, marriage
and divorce and prayer in schools.
The foundation will be monitoring such measures throughout
the session, Ward noted. He also reminded persons that they can identify and
monitor bills as well via the Internet.
A legislative Web site that may be accessed from the Foundation
site allows persons to view specific bills and to check an index to identify
what bills have been filed on a particular subject. (See instructions below)
To communicate with the governor:
Call: (225) 342-7015 Fax: (225) 342-7099
Write: The Honorable Murphy J. Foster, Jr.,
P.O. Box 94004, Baton Rouge, LA 70804.
To communicate with a state senator:
Call: (225) 342-2040 Fax (225) 342-0617
Write: The Honorable John Doe,
P.O. Box 94183, Baton Rouge, LA 70804.
To communicate with a state representative:
Call: (225) 342-6945 Fax: (225) 342-8336
Write: The Honorable John Doe,
P.O. Box 94062, Baton Rouge, LA 70804.
The Louisiana Moral and Civic Foundation:
Call: (225) 767-1908 Fax: (225) 767-1913
Write: LMCF, P.O. Box 2951, Baton Rouge, LA 70821
E-mail: kenward2@compuserve.com4
Visit the Interent: www.lmcf.org
To identify and monitor bills:
Go to Web site at www.lmcf.org
Click on … Legislative
Click on … Legislative Program Resources
Click on … Louisiana Legislature Home Page
Click on … Session Info
Click on … 2001 Regular Session
Click on … various means of tracking bills
(including Subject Index)