Wednesday, May 10 Action Alert!

SB 111 and SB 85 will be heard in Senate Health Committee TOMORROW at 10 am

Call Senators and tell them NO on SB 111 and YES on SB 85

SB 111 would unconstitutionally modify existing Louisiana law for minors who cannot involve their parents in their decision to have an abortion. It jeopardizes their confidentiality and could effectively ban the most vulnerable teens--abuse and trafficking victims--from getting the care they need.

Get the Facts Here

SB 85 would actually help young people by allowing the state to survey students, anonymously & voluntarily, about their risky sexual behaviors and provide the information needed to evaluate and design programs that can reduce teen pregnancy and sexual infections.
Louisiana ranks:
>7th in the nation for births to teenage mothers
>3rd in the nation for chlamydia diagnoses
>2nd in the nation for gonorrhea diagnoses
>1st in the nation for adolescent syphilis diagnoses
It's time to take steps to create interventions that work for young people.

http://senate.la.gov/Health&Welfare/Assignments.asp

URGENT ACTION NEEDED PROTECT DATING PARTNERS FROM DOMESTIC VIOLENCE!  THE NRA IS TRYING TO KILL HB223! MONDAY HB223 by Rep. Moreno scheduled for final passage by the House on 5/8/17 This bill expands the application of domestic abuse battery, domestic abuse aggravated assault, and other provisions of law regarding domestic abuse to dating partners. The National Rifle Association is trying to stop this bill. Please email all the representatives and tell them to pass HB223. More info can be found on our website here. PLEASE EMAIL ALL REPRESENTATIVES!

TUESDAY HB309 by MORENO Pending House final passage scheduled for 5/9/17 CRIMINAL/VICTIMS:  Provides relative to rights of victims of criminal offenses SB92 by TARVER                Pending Senate Judiciary A scheduled for 5/9/17 LIABILITY:  Provides relative to civil actions and remedies in matters involving domestic abuse.  Outcome of bills that moved this past week HB112 by BOUIE KILLED IN COMMITTEE   Considered 5/3/17 PUBLIC CONTRACTS:  Requires that any contractor who enters into a contract with a public entity comply with the Louisiana Equal Pay for Women Act HB222 by MORENO     KILLED IN COMMITTEE   Considered 5/3/17 EMPLOYMENT:  Prohibits employer retaliation against an employee who discusses wage information CLICK HERE TO WRITE THANK YOU MESSAGES TO COMMITTEE MEMBERS CLICK HERE TO LET THESE REP'S KNOW YOU ARE DISAPPOINTED IN THEIR VOTE HB479 HORTON             Substitute adopted on the House floor. Became HB678 CHILDREN/NEWBORNS:  Provides relative to prenatal neglect and reporting thereof SB24 MORRELL            Pending Senate Finance        RESCHEDULED TAX EXEMPTIONS:  Exempts diapers and feminine hygiene products from state and local sales and use tax. SB106  W.BISHOP           Pending Senate Finance              POSTSECONDARY ED:  Requires public postsecondary institutions to develop and implement an action plan to address the prevention of unplanned pregnancies. (gov sig) (EG INCREASE GF EX See Note) SB128  MILKOVICH       PASSED OUT OF SENATE-Pending House Administration of Criminal Justice         CRIME/PUNISHMENT:  Prohibits cutting, resection, excision, harvesting, or removal of a body part, organ, or tissue of an aborted unborn child for sale, commerce, transport, research, or profit. SB188 HEWITT TURNED INTO A STUDY RESOLUTION    Considered 5/3/17 MEDICAID:  Provides relative to Medicaid recipient work requirements.  WHO ARE MY LEGISLATORS? MORE LEGISLATIVE INFO CAN BE FOUND HERE

Coming up this week

Coming up this week:

Monday:

17RS - HB223      MORENO             Notice given subject to call - House final passage Sched. for 5/8/17

DOMESTIC ABUSE:  Expands the application of domestic abuse battery, domestic abuse aggravated assault, and other provisions of law regarding domestic abuse to dating partners (EG SEE FISC NOTE GF EX See Note)

Tuesday:

17RS - HB309      MORENO             Pending House final passage     Sched. for 5/9/17

CRIMINAL/VICTIMS:  Provides relative to rights of victims of criminal offenses

17RS - SB92         TARVER                  Pending Senate Judiciary A       Sched. for 5/9/17

LIABILITY:  Provides relative to civil actions and remedies in matters involving domestic abuse. (8/1/17)

Wednesday:

Thursday:

Subject to call:

17RS - HB123      M.WHITE             Subject to call - House final passage       

FAMILY LAW:  Amends provisions of law regarding divorce

Outcome of bills that moved this past week:

17RS - HB112      BOUIE   KILLED IN COMMITTEE   Considered 5/3/17

PUBLIC CONTRACTS:  Requires that any contractor who enters into a contract with a public entity comply with the Louisiana Equal Pay for Women Act (OR INCREASE LF EX See Note)

17RS - HB222      MORENO             KILLED IN COMMITTEE   Considered 5/3/17

EMPLOYMENT:  Prohibits employer retaliation against an employee who discusses wage information

17RS - HB479      HORTON              Substitute adopted on the House floor. Became HB678

CHILDREN/NEWBORNS:  Provides relative to prenatal neglect and reporting thereof

17RS - SB24         MORRELL             Pending Senate Finance                 RESCHEDULED

TAX EXEMPTIONS:  Exempts diapers and feminine hygiene products from state and local sales and use tax. (See Act) (EG -$13,000,000 GF RV See Note)

17RS - SB106       W.BISHOP           Pending Senate Finance              

POSTSECONDARY ED:  Requires public postsecondary institutions to develop and implement an action plan to address the prevention of unplanned pregnancies. (gov sig) (EG INCREASE GF EX See Note)

17RS - SB128       MILKOVICH        PASSED OUT OF SENATE-Pending House Administration of Criminal Justice         

CRIME/PUNISHMENT:  Prohibits cutting, resection, excision, harvesting, or removal of a body part, organ, or tissue of an aborted unborn child for sale, commerce, transport, research, or profit. (gov sig)

17RS - SB188       HEWITT  TURNED INTO A STUDY RESOLUTION    Considered 5/3/17

MEDICAID:  Provides relative to Medicaid recipient work requirements. (8/1/17) (OR SEE FISC NOTE GF EX)

Please write your Thank you's!

Thank & Express Disappointment to votes on Equal Pay!

Despite a room full of enthusiastic supporters in red (women are in the red on equal pay) and in green (some were in a new color - green - since equal pay is good for business!) - some of whom came on the United Way bus  - the House Labor committee killed the two equal pay bills.   The vote against both bills HB 222 (Moreno and Hunter) on pay secrecy and HB 112 (Bouie) on State Contractor requirements re Equal Pay was along party lines although there was BI-PARTISAN testimony for the bill including moving words in support by State Rep. Julie Stokes (R-Kenner). Both State Rep. Moreno and Rep. Bouie deserve thanks for their handling of bills in a difficult milieu and there was excellent testimony from supporters of the bill - representing a great variety of organizations and some individuals. PLEASE WRITE MESSAGES TO COMMITTEE MEMBERS:  1.)  THANK Chair Patrick Jefferson, Reps Kenny Cox, Marcus Hunter, Ted James, Vincent Pierre and Ed Price of the committee for being strong supporters of Equal Pay. jeffersonpo@legis.la.gov, coxk@legis.la.gov, hunterm@legis.la.gov, james.ted@legis.la.gov, pierrev@legis.la.gov, pricee@legis.la.gov 2.)  Express DISAPPOINTMENT to  Reps. Beryl Amedee, Chris Broadwater, Larry Bagley, reid Falconer, Dodie Horton, Jack McFarland, Blake Miguez, Alan Seabaugh and Scott Simon because they voted against protecting people from retaliation for talking about their wages and against the Equal Pay contractor bill: amedeeb@legis.la.gov, broadwaterc@legis.la.gov, bagleyl@legis.la.gov, falconerr@legis.la.gov, hortond@legis.la.gov, mcfarlandj@legis.la.gov, miguezb@legis.la.gov, seabaugha@legis.la.gov, simons@legis.la.gov 3.) SB 2 by State Senator JP Morrell & Karen Carter Peterson also on equal pay was reported favorably by the Senate Labor Committee.  Please thank the members of that committee for moving forward on another instrument that could lead to protection against retaliation for talking about wages. Here are their emails: risern@legis.la.gov; cartert@legis.la.gov; barrowr@legis.la.gov; bishopw@legis.la.gov; johnsr@legis.la.gov; morrelljp@legis.la.gov; peacockb@legis.la.gov

URGENT ACTION NEEDED!! NRA trying to kill Domestic Violence bill!

Please make a call to your state rep (and as many more as you are willing to call) to support the Domestic Violence Bill 223 by State Rep. Moreno - it will include "dating partners" in the definition of those covered by the enhanced penalties and provisions of Criminal Domestic Abuse laws. Besides calling as many as you can, please send an email to all - see below for the details on why this DV bill is SO IMPORTANT. Please read them! They will inspire you to do the action and tell others.

Please email every member of the State House Of Representatives to ask them to vote FOR HB 223 (Moreno) on Monday to protect ALL VICTIMS of Domestic Violence, including dating partners. If you prefer to email a smaller number, use the information below to strategically pick those who need special messages to be consistent in their support for victims of violence and to support this bill.

PLEASE CALL OR WRITE ALL HOUSE MEMBERS

FIND YOUR REP. HERE: https://www.legis.la.gov/legis/FindMyLegislators.aspx

Copy and Paste these into your TO box to email all at one time:

abrahamm@legis.la.gov
abramson@legis.la.gov
amedeeb@legis.la.gov
larep021@legis.la.gov
armesj@legis.la.gov
bacalat@legis.la.gov
bagleyl@legis.la.gov
bagnerisj@legis.la.gov
barrast@legis.la.gov
berthelotj@legis.la.gov
billiotr@legis.la.gov
bishops@legis.la.gov
bouiej@legis.la.gov
broadwaterc@legis.la.gov
browntr@legis.la.gov
brownc@legis.la.gov
carmodyt@legis.la.gov
carpenterb@legis.la.gov
carters@legis.la.gov
carterr@legis.la.gov
carterg@legis.la.gov
chaneyb@legis.la.gov
connickp@legis.la.gov
coussanjp@legis.la.gov
coxk@legis.la.gov
cromerg@legis.la.gov
danahaym@legis.la.gov
davisp@legis.la.gov
devillierp@legis.la.gov
dwights@legis.la.gov
edmondsr@legis.la.gov
emersonj@legis.la.gov
falconerr@legis.la.gov
foilf@legis.la.gov
franklina@legis.la.gov
gainesr@legis.la.gov
garofalor@legis.la.gov
gisclairj@legis.la.gov
gloverc@legis.la.gov
guinnj@legis.la.gov
hallj@legis.la.gov
harrisl@legis.la.gov
harrisj@legis.la.gov
havardk@legis.la.gov
hazelc@legis.la.gov
henryc@legis.la.gov
hensgensb@legis.la.gov
hilfertys@legis.la.gov
hilld@legis.la.gov
hodgesv@legis.la.gov
hoffmanf@legis.la.gov
hollisp@legis.la.gov
hortond@legis.la.gov
howardf@legis.la.gov
hunterm@legis.la.gov
huvalm@legis.la.gov
iveyb@legis.la.gov
jacksonk@legis.la.gov
james.ted@legis.la.gov
jeffersonpo@legis.la.gov
jenkinss@legis.la.gov
johnsoro@legis.la.gov
joness@legis.la.gov
jordane@legis.la.gov
landryn@legis.la.gov
landryt@legis.la.gov
lebasb@legis.la.gov
legerw@legis.la.gov
leopoldc@legis.la.gov
lyonsr@legis.la.gov
macks@legis.la.gov
mageet@legis.la.gov
marcelled@legis.la.gov
marinoj@legis.la.gov
mcfarlandj@legis.la.gov
miguezb@legis.la.gov
millerd@legis.la.gov
millerg@legis.la.gov
montoucj@legis.la.gov
morenoh@legis.la.gov
larep001@legis.la.gov
morrisjc@legis.la.gov
nortonb@legis.la.gov
pearsonk@legis.la.gov
pierrev@legis.la.gov
poper@legis.la.gov
pricee@legis.la.gov
pughs@legis.la.gov
pylants@legis.la.gov
reynoldsg@legis.la.gov
richardj@legis.la.gov
schexnayderc@legis.la.gov
schrodej@legis.la.gov
seabaugha@legis.la.gov
shadoinr@legis.la.gov
simons@legis.la.gov
smithp@legis.la.gov
stokesj@legis.la.gov
talbotk@legis.la.gov
thibautm@legis.la.gov
thomasp@legis.la.gov
whitema@legis.la.gov
willmott@legis.la.gov
zeringuej@legis.la.gov

SUPPORT HB 223 BY REP. HELENA MORENO

Baton Rouge mother of 3 paralyzed after boyfriend shot her in bathtub while baby in next room

Feb. 22, 2017 - 9:06 AM

Cooley found guilty for killing girlfriend shot in head with assault rifle in Caddo Parish

Apr 21, 2017

Louisiana Man Sentenced in Slaying of Deputy Ex-girlfriend

A 49-year-old man has been sentenced to life in prison for killing his ex-girlfriend, a deputy with a suburban New Orleans sheriff's department.

Feb. 21, 2017

  

Woman called aunt while being pistol-whipped by ex-boyfriend in St. Charles Parish - Man accused of kidnapping and beating former girlfriend, mother of his child

Mar 14, 2017

Sheriff: Suspect admits shooting police officer, pregnant ex-girlfriend

Jefferson Parish 

Westwego – January 20, 2017

Man accused of shooting girlfriend in the head in Catahoula Parish charged with second degree murder

Posted: Feb 22, 2017 10:50 AM CST

Ex-boyfriend arrested in connection to fatal shooting of Baton Rouge mother of 3 after she answered the door her home

Saturday, January 21, 2017

Sheriff: Ex-boyfriend arrested after shooting woman and her family in Houma

WWLTV.com , WWL 4:19 PM. CDT October 26, 2016

Gunman arrested after boyfriend teen killed, 2 women injured in Terrebonne Parish shooting

Updated: 4:52 PM CDT Oct 26, 2016

Drunk Dry Prong woman tried to kill boyfriend in Grant Parish

Town Talk,  Oct. 21, 2016

Louisiana ranks 2nd in the nation for domestic violence homicides. In Louisiana, over 70% of domestic homicides involve a dating partner, and over 60% of victims served by the Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence are dating partners.

HB 223 bill would include “dating partners” as persons who could be charged with Domestic Abuse Battery as opposed to simple battery. This is important because Domestic Abuse Battery includes enhanced penalties for crimes involving burning, strangulation, pregnancy and child endangerment, in addition to requiring a defendant to undergo domestic abuse intervention treatment and being dispossessed of a firearm following if convicted.

The NRA is opposing adding “dating partners” to the Domestic Abuse Battery Statute, claiming that the definition of dating partner is too broad for use in criminal prosecutions. This is simply not true. The definition of Dating Partners proposed in HB 223 is the very same definition currently used in 10 Louisiana statutes, going back to 2003.

Most statutes refer to “dating partner as defined in 46:2151”, and no court has ever had a problem with its application. As a matter of fact, the Louisiana Supreme Court has itself acknowledged this definition in Welborn v. 19TH Judicial Dist. Court, 974 So.2d 1 (La. 2008), where the Court recognized that:

“the legislature expanded Chapter 28 in 2001 by adding "Chapter 28-A. Protection from Dating Violence Act." Act No. 1180, 2001 La. Acts 2594. That Act made a "dating partner" eligible "to receive all services, benefits, and other forms of assistance provided by Chapter 28 of [Title 46]." La.Rev.Stat. § 46:2151(A).

A "dating partner" was defined as any person who is or has been in a social relationship of a romantic or intimate nature with the victim and where the existence of such a relationship shall be determined based on a consideration of the following factors:

(1)The length of the relationship.

(2)The type of relationship.

(3)The frequency of interaction between the persons involved in the relationship.

The plain language of the statute makes clear the intent of the legislature to provide "dating partners" with the same relief it had previously made available to "household members" and "family members."

The NRA had no problem whatsoever when the Dating Partner definition was added to Gwen’s’ Law by Rep. Joe Lopinto in 2015, or added to the Domestic Abuse Assistance Act by Rep. Robert Billiot in 2015, or added to the new bail restrictions law by Sen. Dan Claitor and the Louisiana Law Institute, effective January 1, 2017.

Significantly, the NRA had no objection when the Dating Partner definition was added to the types of victims of abuse which could get a temporary concealed handgun permit by Rep. Valerie Hodges in 2016 and her co-authors: Reps. Bryan Adams, Beryl Amedee, Tony Bacala, Larry Bagley, John Bagneris, Taylor Barras, John Berthelot, Chris Broadwater, Terry Brown, Thomas Carmody, Jean-Paul Coussan, Kenny Cox, Paula Davis, Phillip DeVillier, Reid Falconer, Ray Garofalo, Jerry Gisclair, John Guinn, Kenny Havard, Chris Hazel, Cameron Henry, Dorothy Sue Hill, Frank Hoffmann, Dodie Horton, Frankie Howard, Barry Ivey, Mike Johnson, Tanner Magee, Denise Marcelle, Blake Miguez, Jay Morris, Barbara Norton, Kevin Pearson, J. Rogers Pope, Steven Plyant, Jerome “Dee” Richard, John Schroder, Alan Seabaugh, Kirk Talbot, Malida White, Tom Willmott and Jerome Zeringue.

Clearly, if an act of abuse perpetrated upon a dating partner is so serious that a temporary concealed handgun permit is necessary for protection from the abuser, then these same legislators would agree that district attorneys should be able to prosecute those serious acts of abuse under the Domestic Abuse Battery statute. To vote with the NRA in opposing adding the same definition of dating partners to the Domestic Abuse Battery statute defies logic.

It is clear that the Louisiana Supreme Court, the Louisiana Law Institute, and the State Legislature have consistently approved and accepted the definition of “dating partners” in the civil and criminal context without complaint by anyone, except the NRA. And the NRA is being blatantly hypocritical in opposing a bill which would protect the greatest group of victims of domestic abuse battery in Louisiana after agreeing this vulnerable population needs expedited concealed gun permits to protect themselves.

STATUTES WHICH USE “DATING PARTNER”

RS 46:2151
Dating violence
Last Modified 10/22/2003

CCRP 320
Conditions of bail undertaking (Claitor and Law Institute)
Last Modified 01/03/2017

RS 46:2132
Definitions (Domestic Abuse Assistance Act)
Last Modified 08/14/2015 (Billiot)

RS 46:2140
Law enforcement officers; duties
Last Modified 08/14/2015 (Moreno)

CCP 3607.1
Registry of temporary restraining order, preliminary injunction or permanent injunction
Last Modified 08/28/2014 (Moreno)

CCRP 313
Gwen's Law; bail hearings; detention without bail
Last Modified 01/03/2017 (Lopinto)

CCRP 895
Conditions of probation
Last Modified 08/08/2016 (Moreno)

RS 17:81

RS 40:1379.3.2
Temporary concealed handgun permit; protective order; time limitations
Last Modified 09/16/2016 (Hodges)

RS 46:1842
Definitions
Victims Rights Act – includes dating partners as defined in 46:2151

Repeal and Replace!

URGENT ACTION NEEDED ON EQUAL PAY!

URGENT ACTION ALERT!

We need your help to pass meaningful Equal Pay legislation this week!


The Labor Committee will vote on equal pay bills Wednesday.

Please email them today with this message--

Subject: "Please support HB 222 & HB 112 Wednesday"

Text:

"Let's get Louisiana up from the bottom in what women earn compared to men. It is not only good for women and families but also good for business that employees not fear retaliation for talking about wages. As your constituent, I ask you to please vote for HB 222 (Moreno and Hunter) and HB 112 (Bouie) on Wednesday in House Labor Committee.


Name

Address

Zip"


On Monday and Tuesday. Please call them and if you can each member of the House Labor Committee with the same message.

Numbers for All Labor Committee Members:

Rep. Patrick Jefferson (chair) - 318-927-2519

Rep. Chris Broadwater (vice-chair) -985-543-4900

Rep. Beryl Amedee - 985-858-2967

Rep. Larry Bagley - 318-925-9588

Rep. Kenny Cox - 855-844-8583

Rep. Greg Cromer - 985-645-3592

Rep. Reid Falconer -985-792-5185

Rep. Dodie Horton - 318-949-2463

Rep. Marcus Hunter - 318-362-3440

Rep. Ted James - 225-343-3633

Rep. Jack McFarland - 318-259-4275

Rep. Blake Miguez - 337-937-8827

Rep. Vincent Pierre - 337-262-2330

Rep. Ed Price - 225-644- 6738

Rep. Alan Seabaugh - 318-676-7990

Rep. Scott Simon - 985-893-6246

If you can come to the House Labor Committee on Wednesday at 9:30 am. Wear RED since women are in the red on equal pay.