Legislative briefs for June 17, 2008

• Advocate staff and wire reports
• Published: Jun 17, 2008 - Page: 5A - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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Senate approves pay raise for PSC
The Senate gave final legislative approval Mon-day to a $30,000 annual pay raise for members of the Louisiana Public Service Commission.

The salary of the five PSC members would go from $45,000 to $75,000 under the bill that now goes to Gov. Bobby Jindal’s desk.

The Senate voted 23-7 for House Bill 939 sponsored by state Rep. Jeff Arnold, D-New Orleans. Eight senators did not vote.

State Sen. Sherri Cheek, R-Shreveport, said the members of the PSC have not received a pay increase since 1997. She said no new taxpayer dollars would be needed to finance the raise because PSC operates on self-generated funds.

House committee OKs LA 4 measure
A House committee advanced legislation Monday that would gradually expand the LA 4 Early Childhood Program.

“Children who actually begin to attend early on … their lives are much, much better,” said state Sen. Ann Duplessis, D-New Orleans and sponsor of Senate Bill 286.

Currently, the state spends $68 million a year to provide the program to at-risk 4-year-old students.

SB286 eventually would provide universal access.

The House Committee on Appropriations advanced SB286 without dissent.

Racetrack measure may be up to Jindal
Legislation that would divvy up the tax proceeds from slot machines at a proposed Iberville Parish racetrack hinges on whether the governor uses his veto pen.

State Rep. Karen St. Germain, D-Pierre Part, told the House Committee on Appropriations on Monday that Gov. Bobby Jindal may veto the racetrack.

The committee advanced Senate Bill 398 anyway.

SB398 is the companion legislation to a bill that would allow Iberville Parish voters to decide whether to build the racetrack.