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Louisiana has gained praise for its quick rollout of federal grants to expand access to broadband internet. But grant recipients are in some cases drilling right into vital infrastructure, House Commerce Chair Daryl Deshotel says.
“I’m getting calls daily from mayors that say, ‘I can’t afford to fix all these water lines that are being broken,’ and that’s a serious problem,” he says. “The governor’s aware of it. He’s on me about trying to figure out how we [fix the problem].”
Figuring that out could be one of the more controversial items on the agendas of both commerce committees during the session that kicks off April 14.
Deshotel says a mapping program he proposed might have addressed the problem, though he withdrew that amendment from his bill to regulate the broadband program amid concerns that a company his son had launched would benefit.
“I’ve had several oversight hearings on it, but without some legislation, it’s going to continue to happen,” he says.
The commerce committees handled legislation last year to overhaul Louisiana Economic Development. This year, they will work on the next steps, including a new package of incentives for the department.
Deshotel also expects to discuss payday loans and construction permits. As of Wednesday night, five bills had been prefiled for his committee.
— House Bill 85 by Rep. Foy Gadberry: Would require local jurisdictions that issue construction permits to check roof construction for compliance with the Louisiana State Uniform Construction Code.
— HB90 by Rep. Troy Hebert: Deals with “restaurant reservation fraud” by banning third-party restaurant reservation platforms from promoting reservations without a contract with the restaurant.
— HB91 by Rep. Polly Thomas: Tweaks the conditions relative to disclosure of financial records.
— HB125 by Rep. Dodie Horton: Provides for the manner of collection, storage and access of genomic information to protect from unauthorized access by “foreign adversaries,” defined as China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Russia.
— HB139 by Rep. Shane Mack: Provides relative to compensation for real estate brokers.
No bills had yet been filed for the Senate Commerce, Consumer Protection and International Affairs Committee. Chair Beth Mizell could not be reached for this story.
Vice Chair Robert Allain is new to the committee and didn’t want to speak for the chair about what the main issues will be. He did say that he was looking forward to the LED discussion.
“I want Secretary [Susan] Bourgeois to have as much latitude as she needs,” he says.
—They said it: “As great as he is, the word ‘bust’ comes to mind.” –ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith on Zion Williamson’s inability to stay healthy enough to stay on the floor for the New Orleans Pelicans
