Although Senate Finance took no action on Representative Cameron Henry’s House Bill 122Tuesday, they did discuss it with Legislative Fiscal Officer, John Carpenter. Carpenter, referring to comments made Monday by Henry (R-Metairie) in the Senate Finance committee, said the fiscal office "never participated in a conversation where we agreed to roll over a deficit. I do not believe the Constitution allows you to knowingly roll over a deficit."
The House then, once again, moved tax bills to another day.
When the Senate convened a few minutes later, Senate Finance Chairman Eric Lafleur (D-Ville Platte) could be seen in conversation with Senate President John Alario; LaFleur, shaking his head, as if to say ‘what does the House want?’
LaFleur soon moved to call House Concurrent Resolution 2 from the calendar. Sponsored by Republican Caucus Chairman, Representative Lance Harris (R-Alexandria), HCR 2 requires the administration to turn over full information on state contracts, with an eye towards terminating them. A Senate committee had already changed the due date on the measure from March 1 to March 17. The resolution passed with thirty-seven votes in favor and none in opposition, sending it to the House.
The Senate then took up House Bill62 by Representative Katrina Jackson (D-Monroe), the Governor-supported bill to add one cent to the state sales tax. Senator JP Morrell (D-New Orleans) carried the bill on the Senate floor, which passed with twenty-nine votes in favor and ten against. Should the House approve, that one cent would be applied for five years.
"If," says Morrell, “we simply do the tax credit and exemption reform we say we’re going to do, we can remove this penny as quickly as possible.”
Senate President John Alario (R-Westwego) is still hopeful that the House will start moving forward with their bills. “Members," he said, "look down the list of bills you have and may be handling for House members. We’d like to start clearing some of these from the Senate calendar.”