Legislative briefs for April 24, 2008

• Advocate staff and wire reports
• Published: Apr 24, 2008 - Page: 4A - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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Panel backs book as Cajun yule story
A Senate panel Wednesday endorsed making a children’s book by a Greenwell Springs author the official state Cajun Christmas story.

“The Legend of Papa Noël, a Cajun Christmas Story” by Terri Hoover Dunham would get the designation under Senate Bill 434.

The Senate and Governmental Affairs Committee OK’d the bill and shipped it to the Senate floor.

“It’s delightful. It’s easy to read,” Sen. Dale Erdey, R-Livingston, said of the book, written by one of his constituents.

Dunham said the book was reviewed by The New York Times when it came out two years ago.

She said it is available around the world.

In the book, Papa Noël rides a river pirogue that is pulled by eight alligators.

Before the committee OK’d the bill, Sen. Mike Walsworth, R-West Monroe, noted that there is another Cajun Christmas book that is a favorite and has been around longer — “The Cajun Night Before Christmas.”

The book by James Rice was published in 1973.

Health information access bill advances
The Louisiana Senate advanced legislation Wednesday that would give people more access to information on which to make health-care decisions.

The Senate voted 34-0 for the Louisiana Health Care Consumers Right to Know which is being pushed by Gov. Bobby Jindal’s administration.

The aim of Senate Bill 267 is to give people access to Louisiana health insurance plans and health-care provider specific information, including costs and quality of care.

“We know an informed consumer is a better consumer,” said Sen. Willie Mount, D-Lake Charles and sponsor of Senate Bill 267.