|
Wow. Our legislators meet on Sunday nights to conduct the state's business?
Oh, wait ... only when it comes to shilling for big business (and Governor PBJ's presidential ambitions). After all, the Senate Committee on Labor and Industrial Relations voted 4-2 to defer a bill (HB 841) that would have allowed the State to accept $98 million from the federal government to modernize the way unemployment benefits eligibility are calculated.
The reason that unemployment benefits eligibility needs to "modernized" is because Louisiana currently excludes the most recent three to six months of employment when they calculate a worker's unemployment benefits. In this economy, where a worker may spend 6 months out of work, and then 6 to 8 months working before being laid off again, modernization is vital.
Why are the Republicans in this state against modernizing the way unemployment benefits are calculated? Because it may lead to an increase in the unemployment taxes that employers pay.
What the Republicans fail to understand is that the Legislature can go back and change the way those benefits are calculated without any penalty from the Department of Labor ... because the federal Department of Labor is more concerned about helping people get through this economic crisis than the State of Louisiana apparently is.
And one of the reasons that Advocate mentioned for the opposition to the bill:
Some lawmakers in the House complained that state Rep. Avon Honey, D-Baton Rouge, "snuck" the amendment onto the bill.
Surely, the Advocate could tell it like it is ... and call out the various GOP leges that were simply waaaaay too busy to take the time to actually READ the bills they were voting on:
"I am stunned that an amendment to raise taxes on Louisiana businesses was so quietly put through the House today by the committee chairman," said Rep. John LaBruzzo, R-Metairie.
"I am very disappointed by the way this amendment was snuck onto legislation on the House floor," Rep. Cameron Henry, R-Jefferson, said."
Ummm ... when the Speaker informs you, not once, but TWICE that the legislation being considered is available to read on your computers, then guess what? READ THE DAMN THING! It's not like we pay you for that. Oh, wait, we do.
|
