Sen. Bodi White Reviews Recent Sessions

The final result of the recently-completed Special Session of the Louisiana Legislature proves that none of the threats used by the governor were real, according Sen. Bodi White (R-Central).
“The threat to close nursing homes, release prisoners, shut down universities, and kill TOPS were just that — threats! But none of it was real,” White said.
“We were told there was a $1.5 billion shortfall and that we needed to renew a full penny in expiring sales taxes. Yet, it turns out that only about $500 million was actually needed,” he said.
“I lobbied to keep the sales tax renewal under 4.5 percent. It ended up being 4.45 percent, and I felt good about that.”
“I strongly support the TOPS program. It is a blessing to our families, especially those who have been paying private school tuition. It’s about the only thing that ordinary families get!”
“More than 85 percent of the students who start college with TOPS ultimately graduate. I see it as a return on our tax dollars.”
“It has resulted in Louisiana having a relatively low student debt radio.”
During the regular session of the legislature, White said he was pleased with a number of successes he had. These included:
• $4 million for flood controls
• $450,000 toward a new City Hall for Central
• $400,000 in additional bonding capacity to help with City Hall
• $12-13 million to widen Sullivan Road. He said the construction contract will be let next year. The property has been bought, and clearing and grubbing are underway. • With regard to the proposed new bridge connecting Central and Watson by extending Hooper Road across the Amite River, the project has been approved and is in the Capital Outlay bill, but funding is far down the list.
One of bills Sen. White is proudest of this year is to permit dredging of the Comite River to help remove debris, trees, and other obstructions, in order to reduce the likelihood of flooding.
White said he would like to see the mayors of Baker, Central, and Zachary come up with a project to clean the lower Comite down to the Central Thruway.
As far as things coming up in the near future, Sen. White said
• During upcoming reapportionment, he would like to see the two precincts in Central that are now part of a Senate district in Livingston be made a part of his Senate district, in order to keep Central whole.
• If St. George gets the required signatures and is approved by voters, you can expect the matter to go to court.
• If St. George is approved by the voters, he will sponsor any needed legislation, such as the creation of a transition district to facilitate the transition of taxes from the City-Parish to the City of St. George.
Overall, White said he was pleased with the success of his legislation this year and was happy that tax renewals were kept to a minimum.
Among bills authored by Sen. White during the regular that passed into law were:
• Act 670, relative to good time and parole for sex offenders
• Act 532, relative to membership on the Sanity Commission
• Act 565, relative to transporting patients to other medical facilities.
• Act 386, relative to the sale of excess immovable property by DOTD.
• Act 243, relative to the registration of investment advisor representatives
• Act 387, relative to the distribution of certain fees paid by contractors to go to schools of construction management at the various colleges and universities across the state.
• Act 158, relative to recreating the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security.
• Act 163, relative to exempting the Comite River from provisions of the Scenic Rivers Act.