LaPolitics by Maginnis: Legislature stays away; chairman predicts Blue Cross contract approval

As with key budget issues during the regular session, the likely futile movement to call the Legislature into a special session is divided between the House and the Senate, and further, between Democrats and Republicans in the lower chamber. While more than the required one-third of representatives has signed a petition to poll the whole body, the Senate is not close to the mark. Only six of the needed 13 senators have signed the petition, according to Sen. Ben Nevers, D-Bogalusa, who is leading the effort there. Today is the deadline to meet the Nov. 26 start date of the 15-day session proposed by Rep. Dee Richard, no party-Thibodaux. The vast majority of signees—31—are Democrats, joined by only seven Republicans and Richard.

—A legislative hearing on the controversial plan to contract out management of a state employee health insurance plan, which was called off last week for an apparent lack of votes, is back on for Thursday, and the House chairman predicts contract approval. "We need to work with folks and let folks feel more comfortable," as well as hear from the public, says Appropriations Chairman Jim Fannin, D-Jonesboro, but he added, "At the end of the day, the votes will be there." Leading the opposition, Rep. Katrina Jackson, D-Monroe, whose request for an attorney general's opinion has led to the committee vote, is not conceding. "We're still fighting it," she says.

They said it: "Anybody who knows me knows I can't afford to throw mud at anybody." —Supreme Court candidate Jeff Sanford, who served six months probation for resisting an officer, in The Advocate

(John Maginnis publishes LaPolitics Weekly, a newsletter on Louisiana politics, at LaPolitics.com.)

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