A New Legislative Session Begins and So Does the Battle in my Pockets”

With the Southern University Health Center partnering with Louisiana Health Equity to host the first Health Crusaders , which encouraged students to sign up for Health Care. I’ve decided to inform the student body of what’s actually going on. 
Legislative Session Summary 
Last week the Louisiana Legislators started a new legislative session, which are three main issues that have taken center stage. Among the others those key issues are minimum wage, reigning in the annual percentage rates on payday lending and expanding health care coverage. Although key legislation is coming down the pipe, there is trouble that will set off a firestorm next year during tax season.
Cap annual interest rates on payday loans at 36 percent 
Payday lenders knowingly trap thousands of Louisianans in long-term cycles of debt that often results in bankruptcy, bank account overdrafts and delinquency on other bills. Payday lending also drains money from local and state economies, and it is correlated with higher rates of violent crime, property crime and home foreclosure. Currently in Louisiana, the APR on payday loans can soar as high as 782 percent. Senator Ben Nevers of Bogalusa and Representative Ted James of Baton Rouge have both filed bills aimed at achieving this policy goal.   
Senate Bill 84 by Senator Ben Nevers of Bogalusa has been assigned to the Senate Committee on Judiciary A. The bill has not been scheduled to be heard. 
House Bill 239 by Representative Ted James of Baton Rouge has been assigned to the House Committee on Commerce. The bill has not been scheduled to be heard. 
Raising the minimum wage
A recent LSU poll found that Louisianans strongly favor establishing a state minimum wage of at least 8.50 an hour that would keep pace with the cost of living.  
Currently, Louisiana has no state minimum wage law and follows the federal minimum wage. Rep. Herbert Dixon of Alexandria is seeking to change that with House Bill 356 that would create a state minimum wage of $8.25 beginning in July of 2015, $9 an hour in July of 2016 and would rise each year with the cost of living starting in 2017. The bill is assigned to the House Committee on Labor and 
Industrial Relations but has not been scheduled to be heard.
There are currently 14 bills filed this session that deal with minimum wage issues. We will be following them and updating you on their progress throughout the session.
Expand health coverage to low-income adults 
Last year, the Legislature and governor failed to take advantage of an opportunity to provide health security for 400,000 low-income adults – a move that would also have saved money in the state budget and made room for other investments. But the opportunity still exists for Louisiana to accept federal funds to expand Medicaid coverage for low-income adults and bring in an estimated $15.8 billion to the state’s economy over the next decade.
House Bill 536 by Rep. Patricia Smith of Baton Rouge and Senate Bill 107 by Sen. Ben Nevers of Bogalusa would direct the Department of Health Hospitals to seek a waiver from the federal government to allow federal Medicaid dollars to be used to help uninsured adults at 138 percent of the poverty level buy private insurance. Neither bill has been scheduled, but will be heard in their respective Senate and House Health and Welfare Committees.
 Both legislators have also offered constitutional amendments aimed at meeting the same goal. Should Smith’s House Bill 290 and Nevers’ Senate Bill 96 win two-thirds support from the Legislature, they would before voters later this year. These bills are not currently scheduled for hearings.
Warning
Anyone who does not get health care and be covered by March 31, 2014 can expect to be penalized during the next tax season. Get ready for the final thrill.