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CAPITOL CORNER |
LMTA's Weekly Legislative Overview with Executive Director Renee Amar |
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Week two of eight wrapped up at the capitol this week. The major tax overhaul legislation was put to the side this week. We assume that means it will be shelved.To say that you can tell it is an election year at the state capitol this week would be an understatement. There was a lot of activity with not a lot of action in committee meetings. Lots of lawmakers are worried about their re-elections this fall rather than passing needed policies.
The big news for LMTA this week: HB 324 by Rep Paula Davis which would have addressed the Martin decision was deferred in the House Civil Law Committee. There was a 24-hour “all call” from the trial lawyers to committee members and that caused apprehension amongst some committee members who didn’t want to have to run against a well-funded trial lawyer opponent. Though there was broad support from the business community, we could not overcome the opposition. Of note, this is why the fall legislative races and the gubernatorial election are critical to truckers. You are left to deal with this issue in lawsuits going forward until this case can be fixed legitimately.
The trucking community thanks Rep Paula Davis, Rep Thomas Pressly and LMTA General Counsel Doug Williams of Breazeale, Sachse, Wilson for their hours spent preparing for the committee meeting this week.
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Good news from the capitol this week: SB 196 by Sen Barrow Peacock that creates the Litigation Financing Disclosure and Security Protection Act. Litigation financing is when a third party invests in a lawsuit in exchange for a share of the profit. Its an awful practice which inserts another party into a lawsuit which ultimately increases the complexity of the case and prolongs the litigation. This process needs sunlight and transparency. The vote on that bill was 4-3. Voting with us and for the bill were: Peacock, Cloud, R Mills, Stine. Voting against us and against the bill were: Harris, Fields, Luneau. Please thank the lawmakers who voted with us. The bill moves to the Senate floor next to the senate floor where it should be heard in the next week.
Another bill of importance to the truckers is HB 594 by Rep Ed Larvadian, which would move mobile enforcement for trucks from LSP to DOTD is coming up for a hearing in House Transportation. LMTA opposes this move at this time. We are still in the process of meeting over the regulations from the scale house move two years ago and have not come to a full agreement on that issue.
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