Legislative briefs for June 12, 2008

• Advocate staff and wire reports
• Published: Jun 12, 2008 - Page: 7A - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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BR gambling fee bill voluntarily halted
A measure that would have given Baton Rouge officials the authority to collect more in riverboat gambling fees is now moot, legislators said Wednesday.

State Sen. Yvonne Dorsey, D-Baton Rouge, told a House committee last week that East Baton Rouge Parish and riverboat officials have been negotiating for nearly a year to change how much is collected on the casinos’ monthly net gaming proceeds and came up with nothing.

She then voluntarily delayed her House Bill 729, which would have set in law how much the parish could levy to give the parties involved another crack at negotiations.

House Criminal Justice Committee Chairman Rep. Ernest Wooton, R-Belle Chasse, said he was told by Baton Rouge Mayor-President Kip Holden on Tuesday that “all parties had negotiated and come to the table and everybody presently was happy.”

Neither Holden nor his chief administrative officer returned a call for comment Wednesday.

Dorsey said she could not comment on the specifics of what kind of agreement was reached. She said she only helped facilitate the process and stress the importance of compromise.

Cable TV franchise bill goes to Jindal
Legislation that would allow cable companies to get a state-wide franchise is on its way to Gov. Bobby Jindal’s desk for signing into law.

The Senate signed off on House changes giving Senate Bill 807 final legislative passage on a 34-1 vote.

The legislation will have no effect on East Baton Rouge Parish, where AT&T has al-ready signed a deal to provide its services.

Nineteen states have adopted similar laws.

Former Gov. Kathleen Blanco vetoed similar legislation in 2006 amid opposition from local governments that said it could hurt them,
Cable companies today negotiate with local governments on franchises, paying larger metropolitan areas more than a million dollars a year in fees.

Under SB807, telecommunications companies would file an application with the Secretary of State’s Office for a 15-year, renewable statewide franchise.

Local governments would be able to collect up to 5 percent of the company’s gross revenue from providing the service.