Governor Jindal Issues Bill Signings and Vetoes

Press Release

Today, Governor Bobby Jindal announced that he has signed the following bills passed by the Legislature into law, bringing the total to 1041 bills signed into law to date. The Governor also vetoed HB 1493 and SB 418 and issued the attached veto letters.

HOUSE

HB 234 -- Rep. Carter
This bill relates to sales and use tax exemption for qualifying radiation therapy treatment centers.

HB 282 -- Rep. Roy
This bill relates to reinstatement of insurance policies and contracts subsequent to cancellation.

HB 447 -- Rep. Pearson
This bill relates to certificates of insurance.

HB 612 -- Rep. Foil
This bill provides for changes to the Uniform Standards Code for Manufactured Housing.

HB 667 -- Rep. Nowlin
This bill authorizes a taxpayer to recover costs related to arbitrary tax assessments.

HB 694 -- Rep. S. Jones
This bill transfers books and records of the Atchafalaya Basin Levee District to the St. Mary Levee District.

HB 699 -- Rep. Geymann
This bill relates to performance-based energy efficiency contracts.

HB 703 -- Rep. St. Germain
This bill transfers certain property in Iberville Parish.

HB 706 -- Rep. Abramson
This bill relates to applications to the Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corporation.

HB 713 -- Rep. Champagne
This bill creates the Iberia Parish Levee, Hurricane Protection, and Conservation District.

HB 747 -- Rep. Arnold
This bill relates to the Harbor Police Retirement System (Port of New Orleans).

HB 748 -- Rep. Pearson
This bill relates to the La. State Employees' Retirement System.

HB 771 -- Rep. T. Burns
This bill provides for public notice requirements related to proposed increases in millage rates.

HB 807 -- Rep. T. Burns
This bill relates to title opinions.

HB 845 -- Rep. Nowlin
This bill relates to private contracts for the collection of local sales and use tax.

HB 981 -- Rep. G. Jackson
This bill requires the recipient of certain economic development funds to adhere to certain hiring, purchasing, reporting, and repayment conditions.

HB 955 -- Rep. Leger
This bill relates to the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority.

HB 1011 -- Rep. Harrison
This bill relates to the adjustment and settlement of first-party motor vehicle total losses.

HB 1065 -- Rep. Leger
This bill relates to the Department of Justice Legal Support Fund.

HB 1078 -- Rep. Foil
This bill relates to reporting requirements of the Department of Economic Development and the Economic Development Corporation.

HB 1214 -- Rep. White
This bill establishes an Intrastate Mutual Aid Compact.

HB 1222 -- Rep. Arnold
This bill relates to the distribution and sale of motor vehicles.

HB 1252 -- Rep. Fannin
This bill relates to revenue sharing distribution for Fiscal Year 2010-2011.

HB 1320 -- Rep. Fannin
This bill relates to capital outlay.

HB 1339 -- Rep. Downs
This bill relates to drivers' licenses for minors.

HB 1386 -- Rep. Fannin
This bill appropriates funds for the expenses of the Louisiana Judiciary for Fiscal Year 2010-2011.

HB 1407 -- Rep. Foil
This bill repeals certain examination requirements of retail florists.

HB 1409 -- Rep. G. Jackson
This bill relates to notices for demolition or removal of buildings.

HB 1417 -- Rep. Tucker
This bill makes appropriations for the expenses of the legislature for FY 2010-2011.

HB 1457 -- Rep. Monica
This bill relates to payments in lieu of ad valorem tax paid by a lessee.

HB 1464 -- Rep. Ellington
This bill relates to the repurchase of marine products.

HB 1471 -- Rep. Greene
This bill relates to the valuation of unoccupied residential immovable property.

HB 1488 -- Rep. Lorusso
This bill relates to certain not-for-profit organizations subject to legislative audit.

HB 1489 -- Rep. Johnson
This bill relates to the notice given to a prospective buyer prior to the purchase of a motor vehicle.

SENATE

SB 85 -- Sen. B. Gautreaux
This bill relates to the Parochial Employees' Retirement System.

SB 135 -- Sen. Duplessis
This bill requires insurance carriers to provide utilization data within fourteen business days after a written request is received.

SB 228 -- Sen. Duplessis
This bill relates to credit reporting security, to provide for methods a consumer may use to place a security freeze on his credit report.

SB 274 -- Sen. Heitmeier
This bill relates to a charter school teachers.

SB 293 -- Sen. Donahue
This bill requires annual internal review by each agency of employee vacancies and attrition rates.

SB 299 -- Sen. Donahue
This bill provides for review and evaluation of fees appropriated in the General Appropriation Bill.

SB 310 -- Sen. Kostelka
This bill relates to the Code of Governmental Ethics.

SB 567 -- Sen. Morrish
This bill relates to the "local sales tax division" of the board of tax appeals.

SB 594 -- Sen. B. Gautreaux
This bill relates to public retirement systems.

SB 595 -- Sen. Quinn
This bill prohibits increases in premium, cancellation or failures to renew certain insurance policies due to presence of Chinese dry wall.

SB 624 -- Sen. Marrionneaux
This bill authorizes the Secretary of the Department of Economic Development to grant a Louisiana Mega Project Energy Assistance Rebate of severance taxes that were paid on natural gas consumed or used directly in the operation of a mega-project.

SB 662 -- Sen. Hebert
This bill relates to claims adjusters.

SB 693 -- Sen. Morrish
This bill creates the Chenier Plain Coastal Restoration and Protection Authority.

SB 699 -- Sen. Peterson
This bill authorizes public entities to create public benefit corporations for financing arrangements regarding certain public property.

SB 704 -- Sen. Shaw
This bill relates to military service credit and compliance with the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA).

SB 708 -- Sen. Chabert
This bill relates to projects to restore or rehabilitate a levee not maintained with federal funds.

SB 747 -- Sen. L. Jackson
This bill provides that applicants for Road Home grants who were denied because of unresolved succession/heirship issues be given a grant subject to a covenant restriction filed against the property.

SB 792 -- Sen. Morrish
This bill relates to the insurance fraud investigation unit.

SB 804 -- Sen. Morrell
This bill creates Non-Flood Protection Asset Management Authority within the Department of Transportation and Development from January 1, 2011 until January 1, 2012.

Veto Letters

SB 418

Mr. Glenn Koepp
Secretary of the Senate
State Capitol
Baton Rouge, LA 70802

Re: Senate Bill No. 418 by Senator Kostelka

Dear Mr. Koepp:

Senate Bill No. 418 re-defines when a matter must be dismissed by the Board of Ethics. While Senate Bill No. 418 maintains the current one-year timeframe, it defines "receipt" of a complaint as "receipt by a member of the board, a member of the staff of the board, or any person employed by or acting on behalf of the board, whichever occurs earliest."

Members of the Board of Ethics have expressed concerns with this provision to my office, as well as in committee testimony and in a letter to legislative leadership on April 19, 2010. The Chair of the Board wrote that "commencing the one year from the date the staff receives evidence or notice of a possible violation would shorten the investigative time period and thereby put at risk a sound ethics enforcement program."

While I appreciate the need for clarity in the timeline to issue charges, I share the concerns expressed by the Board of Ethics and find current law to be preferable to this bill. For this reason, I have vetoed Senate Bill No. 418 and hereby return it to the Senate.

Sincerely,

Bobby Jindal
Governor

HB 1493

Mr. Alfred W. Speer
Clerk of the House
State Capitol
Baton Rouge, LA 70802

Re: House Bill No. 1493 by Representative Barrow

Dear Mr. Speer:

I agree with the premise of House Bill No. 1493 that the Legislature should be fully informed throughout the transfer of certain medical education and inpatient hospital services from Earl K. Long Medical Center to Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center.

However, I am concerned that this legislation will result in unnecessary hurdles and potential delays as the State moves to create a public-private partnership that will promote access and quality healthcare for patients in the greater Baton Rouge area. This process will result in a free-standing Urgent Care Clinic in north Baton Rouge, the first Level 1 trauma unit in the region, and a new medical education building to train and retain more Louisiana doctors.

I will continue to encourage LSU to work with the local delegation to maintain an open line of communication with the Legislature and the Baton Rouge community. LSU and Our Lady of the Lake have already negotiated a detailed Cooperative Endeavor Agreement at the request of the Legislature in 2009; they have sought and received the approval of the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget; and the Legislature has subsequently approved the funding to move this project forward. I see no reason to require additional reporting that could result in delays for this vital undertaking.

Therefore, I have vetoed House Bill No. 1493 and hereby return it to the House of Representatives.

Sincerely,

Bobby Jindal
Governor

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